The Hindu : National : India must end military ties with Israel: CPI(M)

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Friday, Apr 08, 2005

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National

India must end military ties with Israel: CPI(M)

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, APRIL 7. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) today demanded that the Indian Government cease its military cooperation with Israel and all military procurement from that country, stating that it cannot "pay lip service to the Palestine cause and continue to forge military ties with Israel."

The 18th party congress that is in session here adopted a resolutiondemanding international sanctions against Israel; denouncing the racist and colonial character of Zionism, Israel's State ideology; seeking an end to the illegal occupation of Palestine and other occupied territories; an immediate end to the policy of targeted assassinations by Israel; right of return for all Palestinians; dismantlement of the Apartheid Wall and all illegal settlements on the West Bank; and release of all Palestinian political prisoners.

"The previous Bharatiya Janata Party Government departed from India's long-standing relations with Palestine and entered into a military cooperation with Israel. We feel such cooperation need not be pursued and know that the Government of India does not agree. India should not look at Israel as a business transaction but the wider issue of the country playing a role so that the Palestine people get justice," the party Polit Bureau member, Prakash Karat, told a news briefing.

He said Israel was now trying to find the "lost tribes" of Jews so that it could resettle them and continue its illegal occupation. "They are finding them in the North-East... The Government of India should not allow export of the community to Israel," he said.

Violation of law

The Palestine resolution, moved by the West Bengal Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, and seconded by M.A. Baby, condemned Israel's "brutal occupation" since 1967 of Palestinian territories, in complete violation of the international law and numerous United Nations resolutions. "We demand an immediate end to this illegal occupation and affirm the right of the Palestinian people to establish a sovereign Palestinian State, with Jerusalem as its capital. We also support the right of the Palestinians to resist this occupation through all legitimate means."

It also asked the Government to return to a policy of genuine non-alignment and play its due international role in taking up the illegal occupation of Palestine. "Unless Israel vacates this illegal occupation, India must also demand sanctions on Israel in all international fora," the resolution said.

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