Gandhi stated that personalised diplomacy cannot guide India’s foreign policy, highlighting that countries like France, the UK, Canada, and Australia recently recognised Palestinian statehood, while India historically supported global justice causes

New Delhi

Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Thursday sharply criticised the Modi government for its handling of the Israel-Palestine conflict, describing it as a “profound silence” and a failure of both moral and humanitarian responsibility. In an article published in The Hindu, she argued that India’s current foreign policy appears guided more by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s personal friendship with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu than by India’s constitutional values or national interests.

Gandhi wrote, “This style of personalised diplomacy is never tenable and cannot guide India’s foreign policy… India’s global standing cannot be shaped by the personal glory-seeking of one individual.” She highlighted that countries like France, the UK, Canada, Portugal, and Australia have recently recognised Palestinian statehood, an essential step in fulfilling the long-standing aspirations of Palestinians. India historically supported Palestine, recognising its statehood in 1988, and championed other global justice causes such as Algerian independence, the fight against Apartheid, and Bangladesh’s creation in 1971.

She condemned Israel’s response to the October 2023 Hamas attacks as “nothing less than genocidal,” resulting in over 55,000 Palestinian civilian deaths, including 17,000 children, and described Gaza’s situation as a “famine-like humanitarian crisis.” Gandhi criticised India’s muted role in the conflict and actions such as the bilateral investment agreement with Israel and the visit of its far-right finance minister, calling them inconsistent with India’s ethical and civilisational values.

“The plight of Palestine echoes India’s own struggle during colonial times,” she wrote, urging India to show principled leadership. Gandhi stressed that India’s response to Palestine is a test of justice, dignity, identity, and human rights, not merely a matter of diplomacy.