India Refuses to Condemn Israel’s Ban

Aakhir Tak – In Shorts

Congress leader P. Chidambaram criticized India’s decision to abstain from signing a letter condemning Israel’s ban on UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. He termed the stance as “inexplicable.” India should have been among the first to sign this letter, supported by 104 countries.

Aakhir Tak – In Depth

Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram has sharply questioned India’s position on Israel’s recent actions. India abstained from signing a letter that condemned Israel’s decision to bar UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres from entering Israeli territory. Chidambaram described this stance as “inexplicable,” emphasizing that India has broken ranks with its BRICS partners Brazil and South Africa.

He further noted that India has distanced itself from many friendly nations in South Asia, West Asia, and Africa. Chidambaram argued that the UN Secretary General’s office is non-partisan, stating, “Israel was completely wrong in barring the UN Secretary General.” He stressed that India should have been a frontrunner in signing the letter, which was initiated by Chile and supported by 104 countries, including European and African nations.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz justified the ban by stating Guterres failed to “unequivocally condemn” Iran’s recent missile attacks on Israel. Katz claimed that anyone who does not condemn such actions does not deserve to enter Israeli territory. He accused Guterres of supporting “terrorists” linked to groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.

This ban on Guterres is part of a broader Israeli critique of the UN, which they argue is dominated by an “anti-Israel” bloc. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously described the UN as an “anti-Semitic swamp,” especially after UN resolutions called for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Aakhir Tak Editor-in-Chief

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