- News>
- Newspapers
Sharon charts a new road map today: The Indian Express
New Delhi, Sept 08: With the Israeli attempt to liquidate Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin in Gaza threatening to rip apart the US-backed road map, Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon prepared to leave for India on a first-ever visit which will focus on the menace of terrorism and underline the continuing validity of the Middle East peace process.
New Delhi, Sept 08: With the Israeli attempt to liquidate Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin in Gaza threatening to rip apart the US-backed road map, Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon prepared to leave for India on a first-ever visit which will focus on the menace of terrorism and underline the continuing validity of the Middle East peace process.
Both issues are said to be central to a joint statement to be signed between Prime Minister Vajpayee and Sharon on Tuesday evening at Hyderabad House in the Capital. This will be followed by hour-long delegation-level talks.
A draft of the joint statement was still being discussed by both sides this evening.
Certainly, both governments in New Delhi and Tel Aviv are expected to find numerous common denominators in fighting terrorism. Privately, however, MEA officials point out there are considerable differences in the way Israel deals with the root causes of terror — the targeting of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin is an example — as well as the consequences.
In contrast, New Delhi has repeatedly disregarded suggestions to ‘‘take out’’ terrorist camps based across the Line of Control in Pakistan, preferring to talk peace with Islamabad.
New Delhi also believes that ‘‘there is a huge difference’’ between the issues of Palestine and Kashmir and that there can be little headway by painting them with the same ideological brush. The Indian side is likely to stress the importance of the ‘‘road map,’’ implying indirectly that Israel would do well if it abandons violent strikes against the Palestinians.
The significance of the Sharon visit, however, goes far beyond the diplomatic jargon in the joint statement or the six anodyne agreements — these include those on environmental protection, drugs trafficking, visa-free travel for diplomats — that will also be signed amidst some ceremony on Tuesday at Hyderabad House.
Fact is, an Israeli prime minister’s presence in India marks the end of an era in which New Delhi extended moral support to Palestine and vociferously condemned the Israeli ‘‘occupation’’ of Palestine’s territories. Certainly, it ends the lingering vestiges of the Cold War for India, ushering in an era of renewed pragmatism.
For example, New Delhi’s criticism of Israel’s ‘‘occupation’’ is henceforth likely to be far more nuanced. The MEA will stress the validity of UN Security Council resolutions 242 and 338 — the former calls for an end to the ‘‘occupation’’ — but will not publicly emphasise the need for Tel Aviv to do so.
Sharon arrives tomorrow evening, having cancelled the Agra leg of his visit because of security precautions. On September 9, the two sides will hold their political consultations, including the signature of the statement. On September 10, Sharon will attend a joint FICCI-CII business meeting and a couple of meetings with the Indian intellectual fraternity, flying off to Mumbai on September 11.
A draft of the joint statement was still being discussed by both sides this evening.
Certainly, both governments in New Delhi and Tel Aviv are expected to find numerous common denominators in fighting terrorism. Privately, however, MEA officials point out there are considerable differences in the way Israel deals with the root causes of terror — the targeting of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin is an example — as well as the consequences.
In contrast, New Delhi has repeatedly disregarded suggestions to ‘‘take out’’ terrorist camps based across the Line of Control in Pakistan, preferring to talk peace with Islamabad.
New Delhi also believes that ‘‘there is a huge difference’’ between the issues of Palestine and Kashmir and that there can be little headway by painting them with the same ideological brush. The Indian side is likely to stress the importance of the ‘‘road map,’’ implying indirectly that Israel would do well if it abandons violent strikes against the Palestinians.
The significance of the Sharon visit, however, goes far beyond the diplomatic jargon in the joint statement or the six anodyne agreements — these include those on environmental protection, drugs trafficking, visa-free travel for diplomats — that will also be signed amidst some ceremony on Tuesday at Hyderabad House.
Fact is, an Israeli prime minister’s presence in India marks the end of an era in which New Delhi extended moral support to Palestine and vociferously condemned the Israeli ‘‘occupation’’ of Palestine’s territories. Certainly, it ends the lingering vestiges of the Cold War for India, ushering in an era of renewed pragmatism.
For example, New Delhi’s criticism of Israel’s ‘‘occupation’’ is henceforth likely to be far more nuanced. The MEA will stress the validity of UN Security Council resolutions 242 and 338 — the former calls for an end to the ‘‘occupation’’ — but will not publicly emphasise the need for Tel Aviv to do so.
Sharon arrives tomorrow evening, having cancelled the Agra leg of his visit because of security precautions. On September 9, the two sides will hold their political consultations, including the signature of the statement. On September 10, Sharon will attend a joint FICCI-CII business meeting and a couple of meetings with the Indian intellectual fraternity, flying off to Mumbai on September 11.