Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted on Sunday morning and thanked 25 countries that are currently supporting Israel. Not surprisingly, India’s name did not feature in the message.
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Thank you for resolutely standing with ?? and supporting our right to self defense against terrorist attacks.— Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) May 15, 2021
Netanyahu in his tweet mentioned 25 countries including America, then Albania, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Cyprus, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Slovenia and Ukraine.
There have been various tweets on social media supporting both Palestine and Israel. However, there has been no official statement from the Indian government that has clearly supported key-ally Israel over ‘terror attacks’ on major Israeli cities and criticized Hamas.
India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, TS Tirumurthy, during a Security Council meeting on 11 May, said that both sides should avoid changing the status quo on the ground.
In #UNSC meet on escalation in East #Jerusalem & related events, I said:
?Deeply concerned at clashes & violence in Haram Al Sharif/Temple Mount
?Equally concerned about evictions in Sheikh Jarrah & Silwan neighbourhoods
?Both sides to avoid changing status-quo on ground
1/2 pic.twitter.com/CcQ3Vj6SNL— PR/Amb T S Tirumurti (@ambtstirumurti) May 11, 2021
In addition to ⤴️, I also added:
?Old city also houses Al Zawiyya Al Hindiyya – The Indian Hospice
?Condemn rocket fire from Gaza
?Urge restraint of all parties & to adhere to #UNSC Res 2334
?Need to immediately resume direct peace talks
?Committed to two-state solution 2/2— PR/Amb T S Tirumurti (@ambtstirumurti) May 11, 2021
In today’s #UNSC meeting on events in East #Jerusalem & elsewhere, I mentioned:
➡️ Condemn all acts of violence, especially rocket attacks from #Gaza
➡️ Mourn tragic demise of Indian national in #Israel
➡️ Immediate de-escalation need of hour
➡️ Refrain from changing status-quo pic.twitter.com/n58LpezlJe— PR/Amb T S Tirumurti (@ambtstirumurti) May 12, 2021
In a series of tweets on 11th and 12th May, Tirumurthy said:
- Deeply concerned at clashes & violence in Haram Al-Sharif/Temple Mount
- Equally concerned about evictions in Sheikh Jarrah & Silwan neighbourhoods
- Both sides to avoid changing status-quo on ground
- The old city also houses Al Zawiyya Al Hindiyya – The Indian Hospice
- Condemn rocket fire from Gaza
- Urge restraint of all parties & to adhere to #UNSC Res 2334
- Need to immediately resume direct peace talks
- Committed to a two-state solution
Earlier, 128 countries including India voted in the UN General Assembly rejecting the US declaration to make Jerusalem the capital of Israel.
India, despite being a staunch ally of Israel, has avoided embracing Israel openly due to its good relationship with Arab nations.
However, for the first time in 2017, Narendra Modi visited Israel, becoming the first Indian Prime Minister in 70 years to do so and embracing Israel openly. Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu called Modi’s visit spectacular.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu in another tweet said “Over the past week, many Israeli citizens have been forced to take shelter in camps. Many Israelis have been killed. Many people have been injured.
“You know and I know: No country would tolerate this,” Netanyahu said. “Israel has responded forcefully to these attacks, and we will continue to respond forcefully until the security of our people is reinstated and restored.”
This past week, millions of Israelis were forced into bomb shelters as missiles rained down on our cities.
Several Israelis have been killed. Many more have been wounded. You know and I know, no country would tolerate this. Israel will not tolerate this. pic.twitter.com/INgjR91BS4
— Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) May 15, 2021
Netanyahu also said – I want to tell the world that Hamas is committing double war crimes. One is attacking our citizens and on the other hand, they are hiding behind the Palestinians and using them as human shields.
Defeating Hamas is important not only for Israel but also for peace in the entire Middle East. I thank the friendly nations of Israel, who are standing with us right now. I thank the countries that have unfurled the flag of Israel on their government buildings to clearly show their support for Israel.
