The Hindu : National : “India must end military ties with Israel”

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Thursday, Mar 06, 2008
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National

“India must end military ties with Israel”

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Concerned over Israel’s attacks on Palestinians, civil society organisations have urged New Delhi to end its military and security ties with Tel Aviv. They have also decided to launch a mass awareness programme, including a signature campaign.

Arms sales formed the backbone of the Israeli economy and massive Indian orders not only helped resuscitate its military industrial complex but also contributed to the perpetuation of Israel’s occupation, the All-India Peace and Solidarity Organisation and the Committee for Independent Foreign Policy said.

CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat said the steadily warming India-Israeli relations were decisive in saving the Israeli military industrial complex from a deep recession, but it contributed to the ongoing oppression of the people. Mr. Karat criticised India’s soft-pedalling of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s observations on the issue earlier this week seemed to suggest that India was viewing the situation as a natural calamity instead of unbridled military aggression against civilians.

D.P. Tripathi (NCP), Shahid Siddiqi (SP), Rajiv Ranjan (RJD), Pallab Sengupta (CPI), Nilotpal Basu, Seema Mustafa (journalist), Prabir Purkayastha (scientist-activist) and Rajiv Ranjan (RJD) were present.

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