The Congress on Wednesday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his recent address to Israel’s Parliament, the Knesset, alleging that the speech weakened India’s long-standing moral and diplomatic balance on the Palestine issue.
In a statement, the opposition party said the Prime Minister’s remarks reflected a departure from India’s traditional West Asia policy, which has historically combined strong ties with Israel alongside support for Palestinian statehood. Congress leaders argued that the address appeared overly aligned with Israel and insufficiently sensitive to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The criticism followed Modi’s speech to Israeli lawmakers during his visit to the country, where he emphasised deepening cooperation in areas such as security, technology and trade. The Prime Minister also strongly condemned the recent Hamas attack and expressed solidarity with Israel, describing the assault as “barbaric.”
Reacting to the speech, the Congress said India’s global reputation has long rested on its principled and balanced foreign policy positions. It warned that any perceived shift away from that stance could undermine New Delhi’s credibility in the Global South and among countries that have traditionally viewed India as a voice for the Palestinian cause.
Senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had earlier urged the Prime Minister to raise concerns about civilian suffering in Gaza during his address, stressing the need for India to uphold its humanitarian commitments.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has not officially responded to the Congress criticism. Government sources, however, have maintained that India continues to support a two-state solution while simultaneously expanding strategic ties with Israel.
India and Israel have significantly strengthened defence, innovation and economic cooperation over the past decade, even as New Delhi reiterates its support for a negotiated resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
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