Israeli Envoy resorts to personal attack as Priyanka slams Gaza Genocide
In yet another example of Israeli bullying of critics, its Envoy in India Reuven Azar resorted to personal attacks after Priyanka Gandhi Vadra slammed Gaza Genocide and targeted killing of Al Jazeera journalists
[Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi in the Indian Parliament. (Inset) Israeli Envoy in India Reuven Azar.]
New Delhi: In yet another example of Israeli bullying of critics, its Envoy in India Reuven Azar resorted to personal attacks after Priyanka Gandhi Vadra slammed Gaza Genocide and targeted killing of Al Jazeera journalists.
“Cold Blooded Murder”
It all started when Congress MP from Wayanad Priyanka Gandhi called Al Jazeera journalists’ killing “cold blooded murder” and accused Israel of committing genocide of Palestinians.
“The cold blooded murder of five Al Jazeera Journalists is yet another heinous crime committed on Palestinian soil”, she wrote on social media platform X.
“The immeasurable courage of those who dare to stand for the truth will never be broken by the violence and hatred of the Israeli state”, she added.
In another post an hour later, Priyanka criticized the Israeli blockade of Gaza, and also questioned the silence of the Narendra Modi government on, what she called, “Israeli Crimes”.
“The Israeli state is committing genocide. It has murdered over 60,000 people, 18,430 of whom were children. It has starved hundreds to death including many children and is threatening to starve millions.
“Enabling these crimes by silence and inaction is a crime in itself. It is shameful that the Indian Government stands silent as Israel unleashes this devastation on the people of Palestine”, she wrote.
Israeli Envoy Loses Cool
The Israeli Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, lost his cool and resorted to personal attack against Priyanka Gandhi.
"What is shameful is your deceit”, Reuven Azar wrote on X and repeated the unfounded allegations against Hamas, labeling the Resistance Fighters who are fighting the Israeli illegal occupation of their land, “terrorists”.
In a bizarre and shameful manner, the Israeli Ambassador to India repeated that Hamas is using Palestinians as “human shield and hence is responsible for the loss of lives in Gaza”, a claim debunked by UN experts and agencies a number of times.
“Unprecedented, Intolerable”
Israeli Ambassador’s personal attack against Priyanka Gandhi has sparked a huge row with Congress calling it “unprecedented” and “intolerable” and a “direct attack on the Indian democracy”.
“That the ambassador of a state accused of genocide worldwide would target a sitting Member of the Indian Parliament is both unprecedented and intolerable. It is a direct affront to the dignity of Indian democracy”, Congress Spokesperson Pawan Kheda wrote on X.
Directly tagging the Israeli Amssador to India, Pawan Kheda wrote, “No amount of deflection or whitewashing can obscure the facts. The international community is witnessing, in real time, the killing of civilians in Gaza - including those queuing for aid. The world sees the heartbreaking images emerging from Gaza every day. It will neither forget nor forgive.”
Addressing the Foreign Minister of India, S Jaishankar, Pawan Kheda asked if Israel is “freedom of speech in India is dictated by Israel”.
“Will you address the Israeli Ambassador’s public attempt to intimidate Smt. Priyanka Gandhi? Or has freedom of speech in India now begun to be regulated from Israel?” Pawan Kheda asked.
“Serious Breach of Privilege”
Condemning the Israeli envoy's remarks, Gaurav Gogoi - MP and Deputy Leader of Congress Party in the Lok Sabha, remarked that the issue will be raised in the Parliament.
“The disparaging comment made by a foreign Ambassador against a Member of Parliament of India is a serious breach of privilege. Even if the Union Government is silent, the Parliament cannot remain a passive spectator”, he wrote on X.
Supriya Shrinate, Chairperson of Congress Social Media & Digital Platforms, while condemning the Israeli ambassador asked him to maintain dignity and decorum.
“Mr Ambassador, You MUST check your tone while responding to an Indian Member of Parliament. Unacceptable”, she wrote.
Also Read: 'Mafia style intimidation': Francesca Albanese after US sanctions over Israel
The Congress leader also reminded the Israeli Envoy that India was one of the first countries to recognise Palestine’s statehood in 1988 and also one of the first to recognise the PLO as the sole legitimate rep of the Palestinians in 1974.
“Successive govts have abided by that stand and policy. So please don’t lecture us and definitely don’t expect us to turn a blind eye when people are being massacred and little children are being starved. You should instead be ashamed”, she wrote.
The criticism of Israeli envoy is not just limited to Congress leaders but goes beyond. Senior Journalist, Nirupama Subramanian, in her comment asked, "Since when did an ambassador’s role start including trashing the opposition leader of the host country? Where is the confidence coming from? The govt should tell him where he gets off but that maybe expecting too much."
Israel, repeatedly though unsuccessfully, justifies the genocide and massacre of Palestinians on the pretext of defending itself. But, Francesca Albanese, UN Official and a Lawyer, has explained in detail why Israel, as an illegal occupying power, does not have right to defend itself as per the UN Charter.
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