Bengaluru: The International Court of Justice has declared Israel’s presence in the occupied Palestinian Territories illegal and recognized it as apartheid. As a result, the India-Palestine Solidarity Forum (IPSF) has called for India to cancel or defer licenses to both public and private sector companies supplying military arms and equipment to Israel.
Speaking at an event, IPSF General Secretary Feroze Mithiborwala urged India to halt the import of, and joint ventures on, weapons and surveillance technology that have been or could be used against Palestinians and Indians. He also called for an end to India’s cooperation with Israeli government agencies in training Indian police and security forces.
Mithiborwala further demanded that India refrain from entering new partnerships with Israeli institutions, terminate existing collaborations, boycott Israeli state officials, withdraw Indian workers from Israel, and stop further recruitment.
Civil society groups joined the call for India to sever all ties with Israel, drawing parallels to India’s past stance on apartheid South Africa. They argued that cutting ties should be comprehensive, encompassing diplomatic and security relations. The groups emphasized that the transfer of military technology has contributed to the oppression of civilians under Indian governance and funded Israel’s alleged “genocide” of Palestinians in Gaza.
Palestinian ambassador to India, Adnan Abu Al Hija, addressed the gathering via video call, while IPSF leaders, including writer Shivasundar, IPSF president Sunilam, and People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) General Secretary Aishwarya R., spoke in person. The IPSF issued an official statement calling for “a full embargo on Israel, similar to India’s stance against apartheid South Africa.”
Ambassador Abu Al Hija criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government as extreme, noting that it has escalated violence against Palestinians. He stated that 260 people had been killed in the West Bank during the first 11 months of Netanyahu’s government and highlighted the ongoing attacks on Masjid Al-Aqsa.
Mithiborwala, meanwhile, condemned the spread of incendiary fake news by mainstream media regarding the October 7 Palestinian attacks, specifically denying reports of atrocities like the beheading of infants and mass rapes.
The event, held at All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) office in Seshadripuram on Monday, was originally scheduled to take place at the Institute of Agricultural Technologists on Queen’s Road but was moved at the last minute due to pressure from the Bengaluru police. Members of Bengaluru for Justice and Peace (BFJAC) moderated the event.
