At the recently concluded COP26 summit in Glasgow, the Prime Minister of Palestine made a significant appeal for India’s assistance. This request is noteworthy in light of the Indian External Affairs Minister’s recent visit to Israel, which notably did not extend to Palestinian territory. Over the past year, India has been pursuing a policy of dehyphenation between Israel and Palestine, emphasizing independent relationships with both countries.
India’s Policy Towards Israel and Palestine: A Historical Overview
India’s policy towards Israel and Palestine is rooted in the ongoing conflict that began in the late nineteenth century. The dispute, ingrained in questions of identity and land rights, was formalized in 1947 through the UN’s partition plan – Resolution 181, dividing British Mandate Palestine into Arab and Jewish states. This sparked the still unresolved conflict between Israel and Palestine. Traditionally, India’s foreign policy linked its relationships with Israel and the Palestinian Authority, preventing the pursuit of a more pragmatic policy based on India’s own interests. However, recent years have seen a shift towards a dehyphenation policy.
Understanding the Dehyphenation of Policy
India’s attitude towards the world’s longest-running dispute has transitioned from an unequivocal pro-Palestine stance in its early years to a delicate dance between its three-decade-long friendship with Israel and its commitment to Palestine. India’s position is currently perceived as pro-Israel. A notable example of this shift was the Indian Prime Minister’s 2017 visit to Israel, which did not include Palestine. In contrast, recent visits to Palestine, Oman, and the UAE indicate a continuation of the dehyphenation policy.
This policy shift involves treating India’s relationships with Israel and Palestine as separate entities, independent of each other. While it appears to be a careful balancing act, it actually involves India shifting alliances as required by the situation. As India aims to become a larger player in global politics and economics, these policies need reviewing. The move towards dehyphenating Israel and Palestine is long overdue.
In recent years, India has strayed from its tradition of supporting Palestine at the UN. For instance, in 2019, India voted in favour of Israel at the ECOSOC to deny observer status to a Palestinian organisation, Shahed. Moreover, India abstained from voting on a resolution calling for an investigation into Israeli actions in the Gaza Strip at the Human Rights Council.
Palestine’s Expectations from India
Historically, India has been known for supporting Palestinian rights. Now, along with political support, Palestine is seeking India’s technical assistance too. It expects India to support Palestinians’ right to self-determination, including the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
The Way Forward: India’s Potential Role in Mediating the Conflict
Being a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for 2021-22 and re-elected to the Human Rights Council for 2022-24, India is expected to play a significant role in multilateral organizations. As such, Palestine believes that India can contribute “strenuous efforts in cooperation with all related parties to achieve security and stability in the Middle East and West Asia”. In light of this, India could potentially act as a mediator to resolve the ongoing Israel-Palestine issue.
