CPI-M denounces ‘pro-US, pro-Israel shift’

New Delhi : The CPI-M on Tuesday denounced India’s decision to abstain against Israel in a UN Human Rights Council vote as a sign of its “pro-US and pro-Israeli shift” ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to Tel Aviv.

The decision was a “reversal of longstanding Indian position of support to the Palestinian cause”, the Communist Party of India-Marxist said in a statement.

“This abstention was on the adoption of a UN Enquiry Commission Report on Israel’s attack on innocent Palestinians in the Gaza strip last year,” the CPI-M said.

Pointing out that India voted for similar resolutions against Syrian government violations in its civil war, it said: “Such double standards clearly expose that India’s further pro-US and pro-Israeli shift is in preparation for the announced visit of Modi to Israel. He would be the first Indian prime minister to visit Israel.”

The CPI-M added that even after a month after Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar signed the renewal of the 10-year Defence Framework Agreement with the US, the text of the agreement had been kept under wraps.

“This raises many suspicions of India succumbing to US pressures on this score.”

–IANS