Congress accuses PM of ‘moral cowardice’ over Israel stance, escalates foreign policy attack

The Congress on Friday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over India’s foreign policy stance on Israel, accusing him of showing “extreme moral cowardice” and alleging that his position amounts to a betrayal of India’s traditional diplomatic values.

The remarks came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly said at a conference in the West Bank that Israel faces delegitimisation globally “except in India”.

In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said Prime Minister Modi had failed to take a clear stand on major international conflicts involving Israel and its adversaries.

“Mr. Modi has stood out as Mr. Netanyahu’s strongest supporter,” Ramesh alleged, adding that the Prime Minister has remained silent on key global developments.

He further claimed that the Prime Minister had not condemned the assassination of Iran’s head of state or spoken out against Israel’s military actions in Gaza.

“He never condemned the targeted assassination of the Iranian head of state and other top leaders. He has never condemned the ongoing devastation in Gaza nor publicly opposed Israel’s bombing of Lebanon,” Ramesh said.

Ramesh also accused the Prime Minister of ignoring the humanitarian situation in Palestinian territories, including alleged displacement in the West Bank.

“He has maintained total silence on the forced dispossession and displacement of lakhs of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and on restrictions on civil rights of Palestinians living in Israel,” he added.

Taking aim at what he described as India’s diplomatic alignment, Ramesh said Modi’s position represented a departure from India’s historical foreign policy principles.

“He has been demonstrating extreme moral cowardice and his stance is a betrayal of all that India stands for. It is shameful and unacceptable to crores of Indians,” he said.

Responding to Netanyahu’s remarks, Ramesh also suggested that Israel’s claim of limited global support should be seen in a narrower context.

“It would have been more accurate to say that of Prime Minister Modi’s ecosystem and not India as a whole,” he said.

The Congress leader further alleged that Modi had “embraced Israel” shortly before reported escalation in regional tensions earlier this year, though he did not provide official confirmation of the timeline.

The statements come amid heightened political debate in India over its balancing act in West Asia, as the government continues to maintain strategic ties with Israel while also calling for peace and humanitarian access in conflict zones.

With PTI inputs