Left parties slams Modi’s Israel visit as ‘betrayal of Palestinian cause’

New Delhi: The Left parties on Wednesday strongly opposed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel, alleging that the trip comes at a time when Israel is “waging a genocidal war in Gaza” and amounts to betrayal of the Palestinian cause.

In a statement issued here, the Politburo of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) accused Israel of continuing strikes in Gaza despite a ceasefire, resulting in civilian casualties. It said the visit would “legitimise the murderous regime” of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“The CPI(M) strongly opposes Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel. The visit comes at a juncture when Israel has been waging a genocidal war in Gaza,” the party said.

“Despite a ceasefire, there are daily violations by Israel, which conducts strikes killing scores of Palestinians. In the occupied West Bank, there are stepped-up attacks on Palestinians and a spurt in illegal settlements,” it said.

The party said that the declared intent of the visit is also to deepen strategic, military and economic ties with a “Zionist expansionist regime” which seeks to dominate the region with the help of the United States.

“The visit is all the more inopportune because it is taking place at a time when the United States is preparing to attack Iran militarily at the instigation of Israel,” it said.

“Through the visit, the BJP government has once again laid bare its shameless commitment to the US-Israeli axis in West Asia,” it added.

CPI(M) General Secretary M A Baby, in a post on X, called the visit a betrayal of India’s anti-colonial legacy.