Congress criticises Israeli envoy over remarks against Priyanka

New Delhi: The Congress party has launched a sharp attack on Israeli ambassador to India Reuven Azar, after he criticised party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for calling the Gaza crisis a “genocide”.

Former Union minister Anand Sharma accused the envoy of disregarding the humanitarian situation in Gaza. “Israeli Ambassador’s brazen denial of the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza and justification for the brutal killings of over 60,000 defenceless people… deserves the strongest condemnation,” Sharma wrote on X, calling the diplomat’s language “undiplomatic” and “unacceptable.”

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to respond, questioning if “freedom of speech in India now begins to be regulated from Israel.” Tagging Azar in his post, Khera said, “No amount of whitewashing or deflection can obscure the facts,” while criticising civilian deaths in Gaza. Gaurav Gogoi, deputy leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, described the remarks as “a serious breach of privilege” and sought parliamentary intervention. “Even if the Union Government is silent, the Parliament cannot remain a passive spectator,” he posted. Earlier, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh denounced the ambassador’s comments and accused the Modi government of “extreme moral cowardice” for not objecting. He said New Delhi should take “serious exception” to the envoy’s response.

Vadra, in her original statement, alleged that Israel had “murdered over 60,000 people, 18,430 of whom were children” and accused the Indian government of “enabling these crimes by silence and inaction.” Azar, responding on X, wrote, “What is shameful is your deceit. Israel killed 25,000 Hamas terrorists,” adding that Hamas “hides behind civilians” and has hindered aid delivery. He also stated that Gaza’s population had grown “450% in the last 50 years” and argued there was “no genocide there.”