Why is the opposition clamoring for a discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the fighting in Gaza when it should be concentrating on the economy? Those of us who are old enough remember a time when Indian support for the Palestinians was so complete that we were not allowed to visit Israel. Now we have good relations and trade with Israel. More than that, the middle east is a mine field which even the locals cannot negotiate. There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of Indians stuck in Iraq, some in ISIS, who are Sunnis, controlled areas, some in government, who are Shia, controlled areas and some in areas controlled by Kurds, who are Sunnis but are fighting ISIS and may have to fight government forces over control of oil fields in Kirkuk. Criticising Hamas for firing rockets into Israel could invite instant retaliation on Indians in Iraq but criticising Israel, which the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, is itching to do, may not be as safe as they think. Hamas was supported by the Muslim Brotherhood while Mohamed Morsi was President of Egypt but the present President, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi , a former army general is hostile to the Hamas. In fact, Hamas flatly rejected a ceasefire proposed by Egypt saying that it was pro-Israeli and did not address any demands of the Palestinians. The Muslim Brotherhood is involved in fighting the Alawi government of Bashar al-Assad in Syria which is a Shia sect supported by Hezbollah fighters from Lebanon and by Iran, which are both Shia. Before the emergence of ISIS Hamas sought support from both Hezbollah and Iran to fight the common enemy, Israel. Hamas leader Khaled Meshal took refuge in Syria in 2001 to be safe from the Mossad of Israel. He has fled with his family from Syria to Jordan. The puzzle is that the Syrian government is theoretically at war with Israel over the Golan Heights but Jordan and Egypt have peace treaties with Israel. The ISIS is a fanatical Sunni group so violent in its jihad that even the Al Qaeda is distancing itself from the group. They are not only killing Shias in Iraq but have even killed 300 Sunni imams and preachers.
Indian nurses stuck in Tikrit and Mosul are unable to leave their hospitals because of the fighting and, with no power, cannot charge the phones. Imagine the anguish of families who are unable to contact their daughters.
If no one has understood this blog then be not surprised. Because no one does. The middle east is motivated by hate, everyone hates everyone else so who is friend and who is enemy is completely foggy. Do our politicians, however corrupt they maybe, really want our citizens to be slaughtered in a remote land by their stupid talk in parliament just to score political points over the government?
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