New Delhi, June 27 (IANS). Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) President Sonia Gandhi has made a sharp attack on the foreign policy of the central government regarding the Gaza conflict. In an article published on Saturday, he alleged that the central government’s ‘silence’ and ‘inaction’ on the Gaza issue is not only morally wrong but also against India’s national interests.
Sonia Gandhi said India’s current policy has distanced the country from its long-standing foreign policy traditions and historical allies. India has distanced itself from Palestine, Iran and the entire West Asia, while Pakistan is trying to project itself as a mediator in the region.
He wrote that the spirit of the Indian nation demands that India raise its voice in favor of the Palestinian people, whose children have been brutally targeted. At the same time, national interests also dictate that India support global public opinion against Israel’s ‘genocidal actions’ in Gaza and the displacement of millions of Palestinian families in the West Bank. The continued silence of the Central Government can neither be justified morally nor rationally.
Sonia Gandhi, citing the report of the United Nations’ Independent International Commission of Inquiry, said that in September 2025, the commission had concluded that the Israeli administration in Gaza is committing genocide against Palestinians. He also said that in June 2026, Justice (retd) S. The commission headed by Muralidhar also reiterated that Israel’s actions were aimed at ending the existence of Palestinians in Gaza and that children were specifically targeted.
Describing the 94-page report of the commission as extremely painful, he said that it mentions in detail the devastation in Gaza. According to him, at least 20 thousand children have died so far and more than 44 thousand have been injured, many of whom have become disabled for life. He claimed that damage to hospitals, especially children’s hospitals, had led to a 300 percent increase in abortions and childbirth complications.
Sonia Gandhi described the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel as ‘horrific and completely unacceptable’, but said that Israel’s military action in the last two and a half years since then has been extremely cruel and inhumane. He alleged that Israel’s top leaders have said things like ‘complete siege’ and ‘complete destruction’ of Gaza and have even denied the Palestinians’ right to exist.
He also alleged that support from US President Donald Trump’s administration gave Israel the opportunity to continue its military actions. He also said that due to America’s stance, even the United Nations could not take effective steps, while its agencies have been documenting alleged war crimes.
The Congress leader said that many western countries like France, Britain, Canada and Australia have recognized Palestine. At the same time, South Africa has filed a case against Israel in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for violation of the 1948 Genocide Convention. He said many European countries have banned arms exports to Israel and several Latin American countries have limited or ended their diplomatic relations with it. The Congress leader also said that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants against the Israeli leadership.
Sonia Gandhi said that India has long been a supporter of anti-colonialism, national sovereignty and global peace, but today the same India is silent on human rights violations in Gaza and the West Bank. He alleged that India is moving closer to Israel at a time when a large part of the world is distancing itself from it.
He also described the Prime Minister’s visit to Israel as a ‘surprising strategic decision’. According to him, India has distanced itself from Palestine, Iran and its old allies and this has given Pakistan an opportunity to play the role of mediator.
At the end of her article, Sonia Gandhi said that the biggest benefit of this shift from India’s traditional foreign policy appears to be limited only to the personal friendship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while it has harmed India’s global moral and diplomatic credibility.
–IANS
VKU/AS
