India has already expressed backing for the Palestinian bid for UN membership. But how much will this hurt ties with Israel?
With India’s ascension to the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member in January 2011, attention has inevitably focused on New Delhi’s positions on key international issues. India has already had to take a stance on thorny issues such as Libya and Syria. But the Palestinian bid for statehood at this week’s UN General Assembly is arguably the trickiest issue of all facing the international community.
With its history of support for Palestinian-related resolutions at the United Nations, it shouldn’t be surprising that India has already expressed support for the Palestinian bid. India’s backing was conveyed by Deputy Foreign Minister E. Ahamed in a meeting with the Palestinian Ambassador to India on August 11. Nabeel Shaath, former Palestinian foreign minister and special envoy of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, also met with Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna during his visit to India last month to canvas for Indian support for the Palestinian plan. At the time, the External Affairs Ministry ‘reiterated India’s strong and unwavering support to the Palestinian cause and assured that India shall continue to adhere to its principled stand on Palestine.’
Such support goes back a long way. India was the first non-Arab state to recognise Palestine in 1988, and New Delhi has supported Non-Aligned Movement-sponsored resolutions on the need for the expeditious establishment of a Palestinian state. In addition, India also co-sponsored and voted in favour of a draft resolution at the United Nations on February 18 that termed Israeli settlement policies ‘illegal.’ India’s Explanation of Vote affirmed that India’s decision was ‘consistent with our long-standing position of solidarity with the Palestinian people and our position that the settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories are illegal under international law…’ That resolution was, however, vetoed by the United States – the first such veto by the Obama administration.
Given that the upcoming move by the Palestinians would be a unilateral effort seeking statehood, it’s worth noting that Ahamed, in a speech on the occasion of ‘International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People’ on January 28, urged a ‘negotiated solution resulting in a sovereign, independent, viable and united state of Palestine living within secure and recognized borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, side by side and at peace with Israel as endorsed in the Quartet Roadmap and United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1397 & 1515’ (emphasis added).
The Palestinians for their part claim that more than 140 countries have expressed support for their bid. However, in order for their efforts to bear fruit they need the support of the Security Council. And, among the veto-wielding powers, the United States has been vigorously opposed to such a bid, with Obama stating that such a move would be ‘counter-productive.’ The French Foreign Minister has warned that it could lead to a ‘serious diplomatic crisis.’ Russia and China, meanwhile, have indicated that they will support the bid. British Prime Minister David Cameron, in an interview with Al-Jazeera on September 9, affirmed that Britain does ‘support the ambition of the Palestinians to have statehood,’ but nevertheless insisted that ‘it’s not the UN that can confer statehood on the Palestinians. The only way statehood is going to happen is for the Israelis and the Palestinians to sit down and negotiate and agree the terms of the Israeli state and the Palestinian state.’
Israel’s position is far more clear-cut. It has warned of serious repercussions, including the annulment of all agreements with the PNA such as on security cooperation and over issues such as the sharing of water and also trade. Abbas has insisted that the Palestinian bid for statehood is part of an effort to seek international support for their legitimate cause, yet special envoys from the United States (David Hale and Dennis Ross), EU Foreign Policy chief Catherine Ashton and Middle East Quartet Representative Tony Blair have in recent days visited the region in an effort to persuade the Palestinians to give up their bid and return to the negotiating table.
With all this in mind, what impact will India’s support for the Palestinian bid have on India-Israel relations? It’s worth noting that India’s history of support for the Palestinian cause is acknowledged and accepted by Israel and the United States, a fact highlighted by diplomatic communications revealed by WikiLeaks, as well as statements of key officials like former Middle East Special Envoy Chinmaya Gharekhan.
India’s recent statements should therefore have surprised no-one. Israeli policy makers have, of course, previously expressed the view that India should have ‘acted with more discretion’ when it endorsed the UN-mandated Goldstone report (which investigated Israeli and Hamas actions during Operation Cast Lead) at the United Nations in October 2009. But given that Israel is currently looking extremely isolated in its immediate neighbourhood, especially with countries like Turkey and Egypt, it will likely find it difficult to lambast India on an issue that has such broad support among UN members.
Still, while India’s support for the Palestinian bid isn’t likely to affect the robust defence ties (worth more than $9 billion) and economic relations (annual bilateral trade is about $5 billion), it could raise the stakes on any wider engagement.
Regardless, whatever the outcome of the Palestinian bid to become the newest and 194th UN member state, we’re clearly at a fork in the road as far as this seemingly intractable issue is concerned. Whether the effort will lead to a further hardening of positions and the empowering of radical elements in each camp, or whether it will facilitate a return to the negotiating process, remains to be seen.
S. Samuel C. Rajiv is an Associate Fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (www.idsa.in) in New Delhi. This is an edited and abridged version of an article that was originally published by the organization here.
Photo Credit: Joi Ito
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Jess
I never know who to trust when it comes to media stories, but I’m all for India and their support for Palestine. Israel needs to acknowledge their war crimes and cease the fighting.
kk
Indian public and Govt hate Palestinians because of terrorism. India has been a victim of Pakistani sponsored terrorism. But India always votes with Arab League for oil. Israelis understand this and though the relations are strong, both sides keep it low key. Mind it, India has 140 Mn muslims but they play no part in this. Muslim politics in India is completely internal and they do’nt care about foreign policy.
Rory Calhoun
I was both saddened and surprised at India’s response re Palestine statehood.
I would have thought that dead Jewish corpses would have played some role .
This is a lopsided response. The creation of Palestine now means more rockets fall on Jewish Israel.
Where is your heart?
Margaret Gangte
”Statehood and settlement is not the issue for Palestine, had it been so, Palestine would have accepted the offer of statehood several times in the past including the offer under the Quartet in 2000. Palestine insists on UN bid to use the UN platform for elimination of Israel from the map of the middle- east. Iran nuclear is part of that plan to eliminate Israel, India and USA/ Europe. In addition, the immediate repercussion of such a support from India will raise series of demands from all disturbed areas. It must be noted that, in current times, Israel close defence ties with India poses Israel as the largest dealer for India in the future. If Indian diplomats have the vision and practical application of mind, they would advised the PM appropriately, which they have failed miserably. India need to be wise and it should strongly oppose the bid in view of the rising radicalism to protect India’s security in which India is the worst victim in recent times. Palestine statehood is an issue that can be only be settled between Palestine and Israel bilaterally, without which recognition of statehood by UN or the world makes no sense. This bilateral approach is adopted by India in its stand with Pakistan and India should be seen as a hypocrite in other people’s affair for the blunder. Hammer the MEA and PMO on this foolish foreign diplomacy for allowing itself to be part of this elimination programme in which India is the target in line.”
Margaret Gangte
Statehood and settlement is not the issue for Palestine, had it been so, Palestine would have accepted the offer of statehood several times in the past including the offer under the Quartet in 2000. Palestine insists on UN bid to use the UN platform for elimination of Israel from the map of the middle- east. Iran nuclear is part of that plan to eliminate Israel, India and USA/ Europe. In addition, the immediate repercussion of such a support from India will be Kashmir statehood issue and northeast Naga Movement. It must be noted that, in current times, Israel close defence ties with India poses Israel as the largest dealer for India in the future. If Indian diplomats have the vision and practical application of mind, they would advised the PM appropriately, which they have failed miserably. India need to be wise and it should strongly oppose the bid in view of the rising radicalism to protect India’s security in which India is the worst victim in recent times.
Margaret Gangte
Statehood and settlement is the not issue for Palestine, had it been so, Palestine would have accepted the offer of statehood several times in the past including the offer under the Quartet in 2000. Palestine insists on UN bid to use the UN platform for elimination of Israel from the map of the middle- east. Iran nuclear is part of that plan to eliminate Israel, India and USA/ Europe. In addition, the immediate repercussion of such a support from India will be Kashmir statehood issue and northeast Naga Movement. It must be noted that, in current times, Israel close defence ties with India poses Israel as the largest dealer for India in the future. If Indian diplomats have the vision and practical application of mind, they would advised the PM appropriately, which they have failed miserably. India must strongly oppose the bid in view of the rising radicalism in which India’s security is a very high stake more than anybody else.
Margaret Gangte
Statehood and settlement is the not issue for Palestine, had it been so, Palestine would have accepted the offer of statehood several times in the past including the offer under the Quartet in 2000. Palestine insists on UN bid to use the UN platform for elimination of Israel from the map of the middle- east. Iran nuclear is part of that plan to eliminate Israel, India and USA/ Europe. In addition, the immediate repercussion of such a support from India will be Kashmir statehood issue and northeast Naga Movement. It must be noted that, in current times, Israel close defence ties with India poses Israel as the largest dealer for India in the future. If Indian diplomats have the vision and practical application of mind, they would advised the PM approximately, which shay have failed miserably. India must strongly oppose the bid in view of the rising radicalism in which India’s security is a very high stake more than anybody else.
Margaret Gangte
Statehood and settlement is the not issue for Palestine, had it been so, Palestine would have accepted the offer of statehood several times in the past including the offer under the Quartet in 2000. Palestine insists on UN bid to use the UN platform for elimination of Israel from the map of the middle- east. Iran nuclear is part of that plan to eliminate Israel, India and USA/ Europe. In addition, the immediate repercussion of such a support from India will be Kashmir statehood issue and northeast Naga Movement. It must be noted that, in current times, Israel close defence ties with India poses Israel as the largest dealer for India in the future. If Indian diplomats have the vision and practical application of mind, they would advised the PM appropriately, which they have failed miserably. India need to be wise and it should strongly oppose the bid in view of the rising radicalism to protect India’s security which India is the worst victim in recent times.