PM’s Israel Visit – some thoughts

Thought 1

When Singapore sought help from India to help set an army, India didn’t respond, for fear of antagonizing the Arabs and Malaysia.

Pragmatic Singapore then recognized Israel, gave embassy space for the nation and took her help in designing its successful National Service. Singapore benefited from Israel’s technical prowess and more specifically in its water treatment technologies. It was a mutually beneficial relationship.

It has taken 70 years for an Indian PM to visit Israel and establish the historical ties that the two people had. When the Jews were persecuted everywhere else, India gave refuge to the beleaguered people and took care of them. This was recognized by the Israeli parliament later.

With the PM’s visit, a long standing stupidity of alienating Israel has been broken. The monstrous idiocy of supporting Yasser Arafat’ PLO and similar destructive organizations, the completely baffling stupidity of supporting the OIC backed resolutions against Israel, the long dead and gone NAM driven policy blunders are, thankfully, things of the past.

Let the people of the world unite on the basis of shared values, rather than be divided on the basis of language, religion or ideology. That is the essence of vasudaiva kudumbakam and the long standing Indian value system ‘யாதும் ஊரே யாவரும் கேளிர்’.

Thought 2

Finally the days of pusillanimity are over. Gone are the days when Prime Minister Nehru wanted Israeli arms but imposed a condition that they not be shipped under Israeli flag. So much for not angering the Arabs.

Prime Minister Modi did not make the ‘customary’ visit to Palestine to ‘underscore’ the historically stupid position of supporting terrorist states in the name of fighting for justice. Nothing against Palestine but every thing against such ‘balancing-acts’.

The ‘customary’ meeting with China in G-20 has also been called off. Say it as a show of force or a sign of bravado. Nevertheless, this is a change in stance from historically bending over backwards to appease and prostrate.

Let there not be a war, but let a message be sent that India of the past, India of appeasement, India with a circular backbone is a thing of the past.

First thing to do, after the PM returns, is to appoint a full time Defense Minister, one with a military background preferably. This will not only reinvigorate the Armed forces, but also send a message that India means business.

When Abdul Kalam was made President, the Indian communists, whose fatherhood is often a matter of question, asked what message would it send to China if we appoint a missile technologist to the highest office.

Now, we need to have an equivalent in the Defense Ministry.