Besides addressing the parliament, Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to meet his counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and call on Israeli President Isaac Herzog
NEW DELHI — Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to Knesset during his two-day visit to Israel, which began on Wednesday, should speak about the devastated and pulverised Gaza Strip, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has said.
In a post on X, Priyanka Gandhi said she hopes the prime minister speaks about what she called the “genocide of thousands of innocent men, women and children in Gaza” and demand justice for them. She wrote, “India has stood for what is right throughout our history as an independent nation. We must continue to show the light of truth, peace and justice to the world.”
The Congress lawmaker’s statement came as Modi arrived in Israel at the invitation of his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu. Besides addressing the parliament, Modi is scheduled to meet Netanyahu and call on Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
Congress Assails Govt Stand
The Congress party has strongly criticised the government’s position on Gaza. Senior leader Jairam Ramesh accused the prime minister of showing “moral cowardice” by engaging closely with Netanyahu at a time when many countries have raised concerns over Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
In a post on X, Ramesh recalled India’s past support for Palestine. He noted that former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru visited Gaza in 1960 and met Indian troops serving with the United Nations. He also mentioned that India issued a commemorative stamp in support of Palestine in 1981 and formally recognised the State of Palestine in 1988.
“That was a different era,” Ramesh wrote. He alleged that while much of the world is critical of Netanyahu, Modi’s public embrace of the Israeli leader marks a shift from India’s traditional stand on Palestine.
Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Israel comes as violence continues in Gaza. According to Palestinian sources, Israeli air strikes recently killed at least two Palestinians in northern Gaza’s Jabalia camp and the Qizan an Najjar area in the south.
Reports say that since October 2023, at least 72,073 people have been killed and 171,756 injured in Gaza. After a ceasefire came into effect earlier, more than 614 people were reportedly killed and 1,640 wounded in fresh attacks.
India-Israel Trade Relations
Despite criticism, the Indian government has described Modi’s visit as an opportunity to strengthen the India-Israel strategic partnership. The Ministry of External Affairs said the prime ministers will review cooperation in defence and security, science and technology, agriculture, water management, innovation, trade and people-to-people ties.
In 2024, bilateral trade between India and Israel stood at $3.9 billion. Current mutual investments are estimated at around $800 million, according to official figures. Last year, the two countries also signed an investment agreement aimed at expanding trade during a visit by Israel’s Finance Minister to New Delhi.
Netanyahu’s office described Modi’s visit as historic and said there is a “tremendous alliance between Israel and India” with growing defence and economic cooperation. The two leaders are also expected to discuss regional and global developments, including the situation in West Asia.
