Israel’s Ambassador to India Reuven Azar has lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, calling his policies “very conducive for the Indian people”.
In an interview with IANS, Azar stated that US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza is the best chance to resolve diplomatically the remaining challenges that exist in Gaza. He noted that Israel has been able to destroy the majority of the military machine of Hamas, and it has committed to demilitarise by adopting the 20-point plan.
Reuven Azar welcomed the trade deal between India and the US, terming it a “very important development” which opens more opportunities for economic cooperation.
Excerpts from the interview:
IANS: India has inked a trade deal with the US. Your reaction to it?
Reuven Azar: I think it’s a very important development, because as India opens, it will give more opportunities for economic cooperation. As you know, Israel is also very engaged with the American market. We get about 80 per cent of our foreign investments from the United States, and Israel is the biggest innovation hub outside the United States. And that’s the reason why when the system opens, it creates more opportunities for Israeli, Indian, and US companies to work together.
IANS: Your views about the leadership of PM Modi and its impact at the global level?
Reuven Azar: I think the policies that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been promoting in India have been very conducive for the Indian people. The fact that hundreds of millions of people have come out of poverty. The fact that this country is being built at a very rapid pace. The fact that you have sustainable growth that is creating new industries, is creating innovation, and is creating academic research. This is something very important for us, because we share values of democracy, of free trade, of freedom of expression, and as India becomes stronger, Israel becomes stronger.
IANS: How effective is the American-sponsored truce in Gaza?
Reuven Azar: The 20-point Trump plan, the US plan for Gaza, I think, is the best chance we have at this point to solve the remaining challenges we have in Gaza diplomatically. As you know, Israel has done a pretty comprehensive job when it comes to the military side, and we’ve been able to destroy most of the Hamas military machine. We have taken control of more than half of the territory of Gaza, and by adopting this 20-point plan, Hamas is committed to demilitarisation.
We want them to demilitarise by diplomatic means. This is what they have to deliver on. Unfortunately, they are retracting from that now. But we trust the United States and the countries that are part of the Board of Peace to put pressure on Hamas to demilitarise so that we can engage in reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, because nobody is going to agree to invest in the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip as long as the terrorist organisation continues to control the place and continues to threaten the stability in the region.
IANS: Has Hamas been disarmed as per the agreement?
Reuven Azar: As I said, we want to give diplomacy a chance. We believe that not only is it the right thing to put pressure on Hamas to disarm, but it’s a good alternative because if that fails, we’ll have to resort to a military solution, which we prefer to avoid.
IANS: Israel has shot down Hamas operatives. What was the reason?
Reuven Azar: Well, from time to time, unfortunately, Hamas continues to breach the ceasefire by penetrating the yellow line, by trying to undermine our forces and attack them, or by engaging in activities to try to reconstitute their capabilities. Israel is sticking to the terms of the ceasefire that do not allow this kind of activity. So, when we see activities like that, we take immediate action.
IANS: What is the situation in Iran if the US were to attack?
Reuven Azar: We don’t know yet whether there’s going to be an attack. I think that there is a genuine effort to try to sort out the remaining challenges through diplomacy. Israel has been very clear that we demand the dismantling of all the capabilities that Iran has built to try to exterminate the State of Israel. They have sworn to do that. They have even hung signs in Tehran that are counting down the existence of Israel. So, all the means that they have created to execute that plan have to be dismantled, that’s mainly the military nuclear programme that they have, the ballistic missile programme, and their support for their proxies, the terrorist organisations that are attacking Israel constantly from different parts of the Middle East.
