Congress Leaders Criticize India’s Foreign Policy Toward Israel: A Call for Humanitarian Accountability
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi escalated his critique of the Indian government’s foreign policy on Saturday, claiming that India is “slipping further into Israel’s strategic orbit” during a period when many nations are distancing themselves from Israel.
His comments were made in alignment with an editorial by Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who advocated for India to restore its independent foreign policy and voice concerns regarding the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi emphasized Sonia Gandhi’s call for India to “reclaim its independent foreign policy, uphold humanitarian values, and speak up with moral clarity on Gaza.” He added, “We are slipping further into Israel’s strategic orbit, at a time when the world is increasingly pivoting away from it. The Prime Minister’s visit to Israel will go down in history as a bewildering strategic decision.”
Highlighting what he deemed a humanitarian duty, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha remarked, “The spirit of Indian nationhood demands that we speak up for our Palestinian brothers and sisters whose children have been so brutally targeted.”
Support from Congress Leadership
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge echoed Sonia Gandhi’s perspective, asserting that the Modi government’s foreign policy has eroded India’s long-standing relationships in West Asia.
Referring to Sonia Gandhi’s editorial on X, Kharge stated that it serves as “a stark reminder of how our current foreign policy has alienated our historical allies in Palestine, Iran, and the larger Middle East. We have also distanced ourselves from global public opinion.”
Moreover, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra shared excerpts from Sonia Gandhi’s piece, drawing attention to her denunciation of Israel’s alleged “genocidal actions” in Gaza and the resulting displacement of Palestinian families in the occupied West Bank.
Sonia Gandhi’s Critique
Sonia Gandhi’s article, published in The Indian Express, condemned the Modi administration for its persistent silence regarding the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank, arguing that such a position contradicts India’s national interests and moral heritage.
She cited the findings of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, noting that its June 2026 report, led by retired Justice S. Muralidhar, documented extensive devastation in Gaza and its impact on Palestinian children.
According to her claims, at least 20,000 children have died and another 44,000 have sustained injuries, with 97 percent of Gaza’s educational institutions reported as destroyed.
Furthermore, Sonia Gandhi pointed out that the healthcare infrastructure, including pediatric hospitals, has suffered catastrophic damage, leading to an increase in miscarriages and childbirth complications.
Continued Conflict in Gaza
This renewed political discourse occurs in the context of ongoing conflict in Gaza. According to Politico, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza on June 20 resulted in the deaths of at least six individuals, including two children and an Al Jazeera cameraman.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health has claimed that the region’s healthcare system is facing an unparalleled humanitarian crisis due to financial constraints and a so-called financial siege imposed by Israel, warning that thousands of patients are at risk as hospitals struggle to operate.
