Bureau Prayagraj- Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel seems to be getting entangled in the domestic politics there. The opposition leader there, Yair Lapid, is threatening to boycott PM Modi’s address to the Israeli Parliament. PM Modi is going on a two-day visit to Israel on 25 February. During this time he can address the Knesset (Israeli Parliament).
Opposition leader Lapid warned on Wednesday that he will boycott Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address next week if Supreme Court President Justice Isaac Amit is not invited to the special session.
Lapid’s threat came in protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling coalition’s continued ignoring of the country’s top judges. Opposition parties believe that this violation of protocol is an attempt to lower the dignity of the judiciary. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed visit to Israel on February 25 is taking place at a time when the entire Middle East is going through extraordinary tension.
This visit is not just a routine diplomatic event, but a decision taken in such a geopolitical environment that can have far-reaching diplomatic messages. The question is whether India has shown sufficient sensitivity on the timing of this visit and its possible impact? Especially on Monday, February 23, India has asked its citizens in Iran to leave Iran immediately. That means there can be an American attack on Iran at any time.
In the current situation, there are fears of conflict between America and Iran and Israel continues to take a tough stance against Tehran. Many Muslim countries have appealed to avoid military tension in the region. At such a time, the visit of the Indian Prime Minister to Tel Aviv naturally carries symbolic meaning – irrespective of New Delhi’s official intentions.
India has long pursued a policy of “strategic balance” – strong defense cooperation with Israel on the one hand, and deep economic and energy ties with the Gulf countries and Iran on the other. But critics argue that the notion of this balance appears to be weakening in recent years. If the biggest strength of India’s foreign policy has been its diplomacy, then it should be equally careful with the politics of symbols. Modi’s visit to Israel is a part of the politics of symbols.
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