Row erupts over Israel envoy’s response to Priyanka Gandhi's Gaza ‘genocide’ comment

ISraeli minister plenipotentiary Reuven Azar raised eyebrows in diplomatical and political circles on tues by piquant in a public gaiter with senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and accusing her of “deceit” over herremarks regarding “genocide” in Gaza.The Congress bristled at the tone and tenor of Azar’s comments in a social media post, which were also criticised by leaders of other political parties. The envoy’s remarks led to calls by the Congress for an intervention by the Central government.Priyanka Gandhi, in a scathing attack on the Union government’s stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict, said in a social media post: “The Israeli state is committing genocide. It has murdered over 60,000 people, 18,430 of whom were children. It has starved hundreds to death, including many children and is threatening to starve millions.”She added, “Enabling these crimes by silence and inaction is a crime in itself. It is shameful that the Indian Government stands silent as Israel unleashes this devastation on the people of Palestine.”She had earlier described the killing of Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza as “cold-blooded murder” by Israel.Azar lashed out at the Congress leader about two hours later, saying in a social media post, “What is shameful is your deceit. Israel killed 25,000 Hamas terrorists. The terrible cost in human lives derives from Hamas’s heinous tactics of hiding behind civilians, their shooting of people trying to evacuate or receive assistance and their rocket fire.”He added, “Israel facilitated 2 million tonnes of food into Gaza while Hamas tries to sequestrate them, thereby creating hunger. The Gaza population has grown by 450 per cent in the last 50 years, no genocide there. Don’t buy Hamas numbers.”Senior Congress MP Jairam Ramesh criticised the envoy, saying, “The Indian National Congress condemns the words used by Israel’s Ambassador to India in response to the pain and anguish expressed by Smt. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, MP, on Israel’s continuing genocide in Gaza.”Ramesh said it would be “too much to expect the Modi Govt, which has shown extreme moral cowardice when it comes to speaking out on Israel’s destruction of Gaza over the past 18-20 months, to take serious exception and objection to the Ambassador’s response. We do and find it totally unacceptable.”Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi joined the criticism, saying, “Hope @MEAIndia reprimands this Hon. Ambassador. Earlier, I had wanted to move a privilege motion against the Polish Ambassador (now former) for his tweet attack on me, but after a discussion, the EAM chose not to raise it. However, this is emboldening them to speak to Indian parliamentarians in this tone and tenor while in our own country. This is unacceptable.”However, BJP leader and former MP Ramesh Bidhuri linked Priyanka Gandhi’s comments to what he claimed was a connection between Hamas and the Congress. “If you look into Priyanka Gandhi and the Congress’s background, you will find a link to Gaza,” he told reporters.There was no official word from the external affairs ministry on the matter.People in diplomatic circles said such public criticism of an Indian MP by a foreign envoy was unprecedented.Following the terror attacks by Hamas on Israel in October 2023, India had expressed solidarity with the Israeli government in keeping with its policy of “zero tolerance” for terrorism. India subsequently sought to nuance its position after this did not go down well with its partners in West Asia.India has called for the end of hostilities in Gaza, the release of all hostages taken by Hamas, unfettered access for providing humanitarian assistance to the people in the Gaza Strip, and a return to dialogue and diplomacy aimed at a two-state solution.