In no uncertain terms, Congress has put Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the dock for being Israel’s most ardent supporter. The row was set in motion by a new comment from the Israeli leader. In a 29 May 2026 statement, the party made clear that they see this as a ‘betrayal’ of our values and one that will not be countenanced by crores of Indians.
Why Congress has upped the ante
It comes after word of a remark from Benjamin Netanyahu to the effect that the only place Israel isn’t being delegitimised is in India. For Jairam Ramesh, the Congress general secretary, it is plain to see that Mr Modi has been the one to stand firm with Mr Netanyahu while the region is in turmoil.
Ramesh went so far as to say Israel is part of the ‘Modani conglomerate’ and called the government’s line of thinking nothing short of shameful. What you have in Mr Netanyahu’s words, he says, is a reflection of the prime minister’s world, not the country’s.
The details of the case
Laying it out in a post, Ramesh put a finger on the things he believes the prime minister has let go unchallenged. He says there has been a hush on the very heart of the matter, be it in Gaza, Lebanon, the West Bank or even inside Israel:
– The way the Iranian head of state and others have been taken out in targeted killings.
The genocide and ruin in Gaza.
– The bombing of Lebanon.
– The way lakhs of Palestinians are being uprooted in the occupied West Bank.
– And the restrictions put on the civil rights of those who live in Israel.
A look at the timeline and Iran
Then there is the matter of Iran. Ramesh has it that Mr Modi was very cordial with Israel right up until the U.S. and its ally went in for a heavy aerial strike on February 28, 2026 – just two days prior.
You won’t find any condemnation of that from the top, nor any talk of the human cost in the Palestinian territories, according to the Congress. They see it as a habit of the government to stay out of it.
Policy and the politics of it
What Congress is trying to do is make India’s policy towards Israel a matter of principle, not just the usual diplomatic routine. By putting it before the Indian public, they are making it a test of conscience and how we are seen in the world at a time when West Asia is anything but stable.
And when you have a leader like Netanyahu saying Israel is only safe from censure in India, it ratchets up the debate here. Ramesh has had his say on social media, insisting that’s more of a Modinism than an Indian one.
What to expect
With Congress having waded in, the government will be under a microscope for how it puts forward India’s values in these kinds of situations. All eyes will be on whether the official line can put to rest the concerns that have been raised and make India’s hand clear as tensions run high.
