PM Modi lacks courage to oppose Israel's actions in West Bank: Congress

New Delhi: The Congress on Saturday claimed that Israel is moving ahead on its vision of a "Greater Israel" under the cover of the West Asia war, finishing off any hope for a Palestinian state, and slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not raising his voice against its actions in the West Bank.

Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said it has been 28 days since the US-Israel aerial bombings of Iran and Iran's counter-offensive began.

"In the past four weeks, while the world's gaze has been on the Strait of Hormuz and energy infrastructure in the Gulf countries, Israel has (i) continued its brutalities on the people of Gaza; (ii) begun operations to create a large buffer zone for itself in southern Lebanon; and (iii) taken decisive steps to convert its annexation of the West Bank to firm occupation," Ramesh said on X.

The current West Asia war is providing cover for Israel to move ahead on its vision of Greater Israel and also finishing off any hope for a Palestinian state, he said.

"The US-Israel bombardment of Iran began just two days after Mr Modi left Israel. What is not realised is that just a few days before he arrived there, the Israeli cabinet had approved land registration in roughly half of the occupied West Bank for the first time since 1967," Ramesh said.

"This would lead to the dispossession of lakhs of Palestinians. But Mr Modi does not have the courage to raise his voice and speak truth to his good friend Benjamin Netanyahu," the Congress leader said.

The Congress had strongly criticised Prime Minister Modi's visit to Israel last month, despite that country "mercilessly" continuing attacks on civilians in Gaza.

The opposition party said the Modi government has made cynical and hypocritical statements on its commitment to the cause of Palestinians, but in reality, it has abandoned them.

Israel's dispossession and displacement of thousands of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank has intensified and drawn worldwide condemnation, Ramesh had said last month.

Israel's attacks on civilians in Gaza continue mercilessly, he had said.