CPI protests against the nastiness of Israel over Gaza aid flotilla

By T. Riyas Babu
The Milli Gazette
02 June 2010

New Delhi: The Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) organised a protest march to the Israeli Embassy here at Shahjahan Road in New Delhi on Wednesday, 2 May, protesting against Israel’s attack on the Gaza aid flotilla that shook the entire world. The protest march was attended by several Muslim leaders and social activists along with CPI and CPIM leaders. Its march towards the Zionist embassy was blocked by the police. Protesters raised slogans against the Israeli terrorism, called for its trial in front of the International Court of Justice and demanded that India forthwith curtail its relations with Israel. In particular, speaker after speaker denounced the growing Indian defence and security relations with Israel, called for an end to these relations and said that the Indian money paid to Israel is directly used to kill and terrorise the Palestinian people.Delhi legislator, Shoaib Iqbal while addressing the protesters demanded the Indian government to take a position on the issue of Israel and its brutality against the people of Palestine. “If the government fails to take necessary steps, it will face strong protests from the people of the country,” he asserted.

Mr. Atul Anjan, senior CPI leader and member of Parliament, said that India had been supporting Palestine and its people since pre-Independence times. “India’s support to Palestine has to continue as that country has been going through hazardous times for many years due to the viciousness of the Israeli occupation. Protests have to be made all over the world. Stand of the countries like Cuba which has been resisting provocations and threats of imperialist countries is an inspiration for the people who believe in democracy,” he said. Criticising the stand of India on Israel, he said “India despite being a massive power in the world shamelessly shows off its favour to Israel. India has recently bought weapons from Israel for more than $1000 million. That means the money we pay as tax to the government goes to help Israel to commit genocide.”

Dr. Zafarul-Islam Khan, Editor of The Milli Gazette, addressing the protesters criticised the nastiness of Israel. Dr. Khan, who has been speaking and writing against the brutalities of Israel in Palestine for many years, called upon the whole world to strongly protest against the bloody Jewish regime and take it to the International Court of Justice for its crimes.

“India should break down all connections with the Israeli government,” said Sitaram Yechury, CPI (M) Politburo member and member of Parliament. “If France is for the French and England for the English, Palestine should be for the Palestinians as Gandhi said in the 1920s. The stand of the UPA government on many issues has proved that it is in favour of the genocide by Israel.” He said that the UPA government has planned a “Free Trade Programme” with Israel that would open the floodgate of Israeli goods into India and will facilitate our money being indirectly used for the massacre of the Palestinians,” he stated adding that protests against Israeli will be carried out in all parts of the country.
A group of like-minded organisations called “Palestine Solidarity Committee” has been formed to carry on the protests and support the cause of Palestine in future.
Civil society in India has been supporting Palestine and protesting against the crimes of Israel. The immediate cause of the current wave of protests in various parts of the country is that on 30 May Israel attacked in the international waters a flotilla of six ships carrying around 700 activists and some 10,000 tons of humanitarian aid for Gaza with a view to lift the blockade of Gaza Strip maintained by Israel for the last three years, with Egypt’s cooperation. The attack resulted in killing twenty activists and left dozens injured. The bloody breach of the international law by the Jewish country irked the entire. Many countries have severely criticised the piracy by Israel.

But as far as the Government of India is concerned, the protest was exceptionally meek and even Israel was not mentioned in the government statement. But the Israeli rogue attack has jolted the civil society and newspapers have published strong editorials condemning Israel. Protests are being organised in various cities across India. A big protest will be organised by Indian Muslim organisation on Friday, 4 June in Delhi on Shahjahan Road next to the Israeli embassy.




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India's statement on Israeli attack weak: Palestine

2010-06-22 16:30:00

    Palestine Tuesday said it was 'surprised' over India's 'weak' statement on the May 31 Israeli attack on a flotilla of civilian aid ships bound for the blockaded Gaza Strip.
   'The Indian government issued a weak statement. It didn't mention Israel. That is not the political heritage of India's ruling party,' Palestinian Ambassador Adli Sadeq told a conference organised by Indo-Palestine Friendship Society and Indo-Arab Solidarity Council here.
   The conference was attended by diplomats from various muslim countries including Egypt and Iran.
Sadeq said India's 'weak statement' came even as 20 Jewish organisations strongly condemned the Israeli attack on the flotilla in which nine peace activists were killed.
 India, like China which enjoys good relations with Israel, should have strongly condemned the Israeli behaviour, Sadeq said.
 He said since Jawaharlal Nehru's period, the leadership of India know the Israeli behaviour towards Palestine.
'Now, Israel tries to convince India that they help India to fight terrorism. That is a lie,' the ambassador said.
Later, Sadeq told IANS that Palestine has conveyed its 'anguish' to India over the statement.
 'I hope that Indian government and the people would stand with us in all international forums,' the diplomat said. He also added that Indian assistance to Palestine is continuing.
 Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party leader Bhim Singh, under whose initiative the conference was held, said the Indian government should have issued a statement of strong condemnation.
 He said he would convey the sentiments of the Palestine ambassador to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
 On June 1, a day after the attack, external affairs ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash told reporters that India deplored the tragic loss of life and the reports of killings and injuries to people on the boats carrying supplies for Gaza.
 'There can be no justification for such indiscriminate use of force, which we condemn. (We) extend our sympathies to the families of the dead and wounded,' he said.
  'It is our firm conviction that lasting peace and security in the region can be achieved only through peaceful dialogue and not through use of force,' Prakash said.

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