Israel at 60

From: Nagindas Khajuria 

Publication: Asian Voice

Date: Monday, 26 May 2008

Subject: Israel at 60

Sir

I refer to your editorial on Israel at 60 (AV 24 May p3). While I agree that India should foster stronger ties with Israel in all areas, one cannot put the blame on stalemate in Jewsih Patestinian relations more on the Arabs. Both group are equally to blame and Israel has often been ruthless in its treatment of Palestinians during those 60 years. It has also ignored many U N resolutions simply because of their strategic presence near all the oil rich Arab countries and have got away with it because of West's geo-political interests in that region.

I beg to disagree that the "Arabs repaid India with indifference laced with contempt" in return for India delaying the exchange of diplomatic missions with Israel until January 1992, even though India reconginsed Israel 58 years ago as a soverign state.

Currently there are virtually thousands of Indian citizens and/or persons of Indian origin (PIOs) who work, do business and live in Arab states: Indian citizens :Kuwait 294,000; Oman 311,000; Qatar 130,000; Saudi Arabia 1,500,000, UAE 900,000 compared to 300 in Israel.

In addition, PIOs or Persons of Indian origin who work, do business and live in Arab or Muslim states are: Malasia 1,600,000; UAE 50,000, Yemen 100,000 compared to 45,000 in Israel.

Private remittances to India in 2004-05 were 14,494,000,000 US Dollars. Some of this was surely from Arab countries. In Sudan, India has invested just under US $1 billion in equity in oil exploration and production activities. India imported petroleum, oil and lubricants to the value of 29,844,000,000 US Dollars in 2004-05. Some of it is surely again from Arab states.Current imports from U.A.E in 2004-05 were 4,582,000,000 US Dollars and exports to U.A.E. were 7,098,000,000 US Dollars.

In these hundreds of thousands who go abroad to work for India, there will be Muslims as well as Hindus and others. While a minority may be terrorists, the silent majority could be decent law abiding citizens or PIOs loyal to their Indian homeland.

Israel is not the only democracy in that region. Most Arab states treat their national and foreign workers fairly, have central and local governments, municipalities, rule of law, etc. etc. and not despotic or autocratic as Western media like us to believe. I worked and lived in Libya for four years in and oil exploration and production company and me and my family were treated with the utmost respect as Hindus. 

Nagin Khajuria