Brinda Karat’s Statement in Press Conference to demand accountability from the GOI on its continuing military supplies and arms trade with Israel
Our deep and abiding solidarity for Palestinian Freedom requires us to hold our own government accountable for actions which help the perpetrators of the continuing barbaric horrors against the children, the people of Palestine.
It is in this context that we are addressing this press conference. We are here today to demand that the government of India cancel all licences to companies supplying military arms and equipment to Israel and to halt the granting of new licences. One of these companies, namely, Adani-Elbit, is a joint venture between Adani and an Israeli company based in Hyderabad to manufacture drones, which are then exported to Israel. This Made in India equipment, including drones and explosives, is being used in the genocidal war against the people of Palestine. We are here to demand that the govt of India stop the import of Israeli military and security equipment worth billions of dollars. India is the largest buyer of Israeli equipment. The payments to Israel directly help the economic health of the govt of Israel to continue its genocidal war. We are here to demand that India stop the supply of Indian labour, mainly construction workers, to replace Palestinian workers denied their livelihood by Israel. By accepting Israel’s request for the supply of Indian labour, the govt of India signals support to the Govt of Israel in its apartheid and ethnic cleansing policies against Palestinians. In plain language, we call out the govt of India for being complicit in the ongoing genocide against the people of Palestine.
Why do we say it is complicit? The International Court of Justice has, on the appeal of South Africa, supported by several other countries, ruled that Israel is in violation of obligations under the Genocide Convention and further that Israel is in illegal occupation of Palestinian territory. In other words, it has ruled that what is happening in Palestine is genocide. Further, in its second ruling on July 19, 2024, it specifically states that all States are “under an obligation not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation arising from the unlawful presence of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian territories.” When a court rules that countries are under an obligation, it clearly means that any support or assistance to Israel for its unlawful occupation would be considered unlawful. Yet despite the court rulings, the govt of India continues its military, security and economic relations with Israel, violating its obligations as directed by the International Court of Justice. It is to be noted that the ICJ judges are elected by the general council of the UN assembly and India has a sitting judge in its 15 member bench. India is violating its ruling. It should not be forgotten that India has appealed five times on different occasions to the ICJ. By taking such a stand, India is setting a dangerous precedent. The complicity is also reflected in the refusal of India to vote along with other countries of the global south on the resolution of the UN Human Rights Council demanding an arms embargo on Israel. India abstained in this vote.
The Modi government through these actions joins the countries on the list of shame led by the United States of America who continue to supply military equipment to Israel. Only one other Asian country South Korea a military ally of the US is on this list which India now joins. So much for India’s proclaimed leadership of the global south.
The Modi government’s complicity cannot be concealed by ambiguous statements reiterating support for a “humanitarian ceasefire.” India’s traditional support to Palestine goes back to the freedom struggle and after. Later its position has been based on the principle of support for an independent state of Palestine with 1967 borders and East Jerusalem as its capital. Palestine is a struggle for freedom, for liberation from a US backed illegal occupation by Israel. It is by no means a so-called religious war. Yet the entire eco-system of the ruling party and its supporting Parivar have run a campaign in line with their own sectarian ideology that this is a war being fought against Islamic jihadists by Israel, which India supports. Top leaders of the ruling regime have used this language. It is the deep ideological affinity between Hindutva, the ideology of the ruling party, and the Zionist regime of Israel, which is the pivot leading to a 180-degree turn in India’s official policy to the liberation struggle of the Palestinian people. It was the RSS chief, Mohan Bhagwat, who stated in Nov 2014 that India should follow “the path of Israel while serving the cause of nationalism.” Both believe that nationality is determined by religion—both have identified the “other” to be demonized and targeted as Muslims/ Islam.
Thus, support for Zionist Israel is very much a part of the BJP’s own domestic mobilisations on the basis of its sectarian anti-constitutional agenda of a Hindutva Rashtra. Additionally, Netanyahu links his own political career with the prolongation of the war. The political assassination of the Hamas leader Haniyeh, who was leading the negotiations for an end to the war, is a deliberate act to accelerate the war and draw in more countries directly into the war. This is to the benefit of the Israeli Prime Minister, certainly not in the interests of India.
It is a shame for every Indian that India, because of this policy of the Modi government, is being identified by the millions of people across the world and particularly the youth, who are on the streets day and night in solidarity with the people of Palestine as being complicit in this genocide. It is essential for us to tell the world – India was is and will always be on the side of the Palestininian struggle for an unconditional end to the war, for freedom, for an end to the occupation and for peace. With a few exceptions, we have not heard opposition parties speak on this issue. Silence is not an option. Today the govt is protecting corporate interests of its friends above the principles of justice, it is in violation of the ICJ, we hope this demand for an end to military and security supply trade with Israel will resound in Parliament too.
Freedom for Palestine. End the genocidal war.