International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People: Will Indian Government Stand With Palestine?

This is the 40th year that world is observing November 29 as International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. It is also 50 years since the 1967 war, during which Israel occupied Gaza, West Bank including East Jerusalem and Syrian Golan Heights. And it was exactly 100 years ago that British colonialism issued the ‘Balfour Declaration’ promising Palestinian land for the establishment of Israel as yet another settler colonial project.

The long-standing aspirations of the people of Palestine for a free and sovereign nation is strong as ever. Despite illegal occupation and horrific human rights violations by Israel in seized territories of Gaza and West Bank, the resistance against injustice remains vibrant. 

It was on 29th November 1947, the United Nations decided to partition Palestine. In 1977, the General Assembly called for the annual observance of this day as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People (resolution 32/40 B). 

International solidarity with the people of Palestine cut across the boundaries of nation, religion, sexual orientation. From unions to individuals, the movement in support of the people of Palestine has been gaining power. In many cases, these national movements, as a part of the worldwide Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS) have been successfully manoeuvring against the Israeli government and corporation feeding the colonial occupation of Palestine.

The history of Palestinian resistance, however, is on-going and the BDS has become a crucial part of it. The BDS movement is growing in India as well.

The All India Kisan Sabha, a union of over 16 million farmers has also joined the BDS movement. Given the increasing presence of Israel in the Indian agriculture sector, such a move is a resounding victory. News about this move has been translated into many languages and inspired people across the globe.

This year on the 10th Annual Delhi Queer pride, a statement from Aswat - a Palestinian Lesbian Women organisation - was shared and received with much enthusiasm. Aswat extended its solidarity to the Delhi Queer Pride and called upon allies in India to be in active solidarity with the Palestinians and strengthen the BDS movement in India.

Last week, a $500 mn deal with Israel for Spike Anti Tank Guided Missiles was cancelled and the Indian Defence Ministry asked the indigenous Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to develop and produce a Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile for the Indian army.

Jamal Juma, member of BDS movement national committee secretariat said that the cancellation is a “huge blow to the Israeli weapons industry”, which he claimed was “deeply implicated in war crimes against the Palestinian people”.

As the movement puts it ‘BDS is facing serious repression precisely because it is seriously effective'.

While there are scores of conversations, discussion and efforts through which our movement is growing, we do have some serious challenges ahead for the movement.

The defence deals between India and Israel are growing and India continues to be the biggest importer of Israeli arms, surpassing all of global north in defence imports from Israel between the years 2010-2016. This despite several such deals being mired in corruption.

A consortium of Indian public sector oil companies is bidding for Israeli gas and oil exploration licences.

The increasing military ties between India and Israel is a worrying trend. Israel looks forward to exporting its ‘war tested’ weapons- used on innocent civilians in Gaza- to India.

An Indian company, Texmaco, has signed a MoU with the Israeli firm Lesico to extend the Green Line of Jerusalem Light Rail project, which is inside the occupied territories seized by Israel in 1967 war. A project which many international companies decided not to bid for.

These deals raise a major question- are Indian government and companies becoming complicit in Israel’s illegal occupation and apartheid policy in Palestine?

Omar Barghouti, co-founder of the BDS movement said Israel’s “regime of oppression can never be a model for the great Indian nation that once led the non-aligned movement and upheld the right of all nations to self-determination”.

On the day of solidarity for Palestinian people, we must remember that India has had a legacy of standing in support of Palestine - a legacy that is fast fading. It is time for us rebuild and redefine this solidarity by taking forward the BDS movement.