M.K. Bhadrakumar
The overnight visit by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar to India has been rather thin on the ground. Although this has been his first visit to India as Foreign Minister, and notwithstanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘hands-on’ approach to the India-Israel relationship which has seen a huge upswing during his years in power through the past 11 years, it comes as a surprise that he was not received by the PM. One plausible explanation could be that PM has his hands full what with the crucial state election in Bihar, which has traditionally been a weathercock in India’s national politics.
Couldn’t the visit of Sa’ar have been scheduled in such a way that a meeting with PM was possible? The only explanation is that the Israeli dignitary’s consultation was hastily arranged. What happened for such an unseemly haste for Sa’ar to rush to Delhi?
The more one runs a fine comb through the visit, the more it seems that Sa’ar actually came to discuss Gaza situation even as the crucial upcoming template of the second stage of the Gaza Peace Plan on the deployment of the international force is coming up.
The MEA readout simply says, “FM Sa’ar shared Israel’s perspective and views on developments in West Asia and the Gulf. EAM expressed India’s support for the Gaza Peace Plan, welcomed the return of hostages and expressed hope that the Peace Plan paves way for a durable and lasting solution.”
Perhaps, some forensic work is needed here to dig deeper. To be sure, Delhi is aware of Washington moving to launch a UN draft resolution in the Security Council seeking mandate for the creation of an International Security Force (ISF) for Gaza.
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