Israel Matzav

'A tectonic change in the country's foreign policy'

אני מאחל לחבריי בני הדת היהודית חג חנוכה שמח! מי יתן שחג אורים זה, ותקופה זו של חגיגות תבשר שלום, תקווה ורווחה לכל.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 19, 2014

The tweet at the top of this post came from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In this Hebrew-language tweet, he wishes the Jewish people a happy Chanuka and expresses his hope that this holiday and this period will bring peace, hope and prosperity to all.

Modi and his government are also beginning to put actions behind their words. On Monday, it was reported that India will no longer back the 'Palestinians' at the United Nations. They apparently don't dare to vote with us yet, but they say that they will abstain.

In what could amount to a tectonic shift in the country’s foreign policy, the Modi government is looking at altering India’s supporting vote for the Palestinian cause at the United Nations to one of abstention.

Two sources within the government confirmed to The Hindu that the change, which will be a fundamental departure from India’s support to the cause of a Palestinian state, was under consideration.

“Like other foreign policy issues, the Modi government is looking at India’s voting record at the United Nations on the Palestinian issue,” a government source told The Hindu. The change only needs an administrative nod, the second source said.

Despite the growing defence and diplomatic ties with Israel, the UPA government, which junked traditional ally Iran to vote with the United States at the International Atomic Energy Agency in 2005, had baulked at making any change in India’s support to the Palestinians.

Even former Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee’s government, which invited Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to India in 2003, did not amend India’s voting record at the U.N.

I'd like to see them go all the way and vote with us, but this is a start. 

Labels: India, Shri Narendra Modi, United Nations

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 3:39 PM