No Confusion on Israel-Palestine Two-State Solution: Expert

Ensuring clarity by removing any possible confusion on India's stance towards a two-state solution for the Israel-Palestine conflict, the Narendra Modi government has said that New Delhi continues to abide by its “long-standing position” on the resumption of negotiations towards a two-state solution for the conflict.

Soon after the Indian prime minister expressed solidarity with the government and people of Israel as Hamas hit it with a barrage of rockets during the early hours of Saturday, 7 October, some reports suggested that India may have drifted from its earlier stance on the issue, with Modi expressing solidarity and terming the attack an act of terrorism.

Modi complemented the position of the US and other G7 countries, which condemned Hamas and supported Israel’s right to defend itself.

India's MEA Clarifies Situation

To clear the air on the issue, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued an official statement on India's position.

"Our position on Palestine has been long-standing and consistent. India has always advocated the resumption of direct negotiations towards a sovereign independent and viable state of Palestine, living within secure and recognized borders, side by side and at peace with Israel. That position remains the same", MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi told journalists during his weekly interaction with them in New Delhi.

“Prime minister’s comments (on the issue) stand on their own and do not require any clarification”, the Indian government official stressed.

India's Stance Remains the Same: Expert

Sushant Sareen, a senior fellow at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), told Sputnik India that people who thought India was drifting away from its stance on the issue failed to understand the situation.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing solidarity with Israel after the attack, terming it as an act of terror. It was not something that could be related to India's long standing policy on the issue of a two-state solution for the conflict", he said, adding that "it was just the Indian PM condemning the terror act as any other world leader may have done it".

Earlier, soon after Modi made his remarks, India's main opposition party, Congress, criticized the prime minister, accusing him of departing from India’s "time-tested" commitment to Palestine and throwing his support entirely behind Israel.

However, a senior Congress leader later balanced the party's position by issuing another statement, in which he condemned Hamas' attack, calling it "brutal".

“The Indian National Congress condemns the brutal attacks on the people of Israel. The Indian National Congress has always believed that the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for a life of self-respect, equality and dignity must be fulfilled only through a process of dialogue and negotiations while ensuring the legitimate national security interests of the Israeli people. Violence of any type never provides a solution and must stop”, Jairam Ramesh, general secretary in-charge of communications, publicity, and media the Congress party, said in a post on X.

Ex-Indian PM's Speech Adds Fuel to Fire

With the debate in India over drifting away or not drifting away from its longstanding position making the rounds in media reports, an old speech by former Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has also surfaced.

Vajpayee, a highly regarded man in Indian politics, spoke on various issues, including the country’s stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict after Congress' defeat in the 1977 general elections, video of which was posted on the social media platforms.

The former prime minister can be heard saying that "speculations are rife about our stand on the Middle East crisis. It is being said that the Janata party has formed the government and it will ally with Israel and not support Arabs".

"...but our policy regarding the Middle East is very clear. Israel must vacate and clear the Arab land it has occupied", Vajpayee said in the speech, which was applauded by all present in the audience.