Narendra Modi’s Reelection Is Good News for Israel

India’s recent elections delivered a decisive victory to the sitting prime minister, Narendra Modi, and his BJP party. Noting Modi’s consistent commitment to bettering relations between Jerusalem and New Delhi, Vijeta Uniyal comments on what this portends for the Jewish state:

Though some [of the improvements in the relationship between the two countries] have taken place gradually since the early 1990s and can equally be credited to the previous Israeli and Indian governments, bilateral ties today bear Modi’s distinct signature. In keeping with his policy of forging a strong bond with the Indian diaspora worldwide, India’s government has made specials effort in reaching out to the nearly 85,000 Jews of Indian origin living in Israel. During his July 2017 visit to the Jewish state, Modi addressed a gathering of 8,000 Indian Jews and Indian nationals. No modern Indian leader before Modi has managed to galvanize the Indian diaspora in such large numbers. . . .

Unlike his predecessors, Modi’s foreign policy has been shaped by his personal relationships with world leaders. If he has been warm toward Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Vladimir Putin, his dealings with the Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau can fairly be described as frosty. Therefore, much will rest on the personal rapport between him and the next Israeli premier. . . .

[In the meantime], the media’s speculations over possible hostilities from India’s large Muslim population over Modi’s diplomatic “pivot” toward Israel have largely been unfounded. Beating predictions, he doubled his share of the Muslim vote in the recent election, increasing it from 4 percent in 2014 to 9 percent this election cycle. The Arab countries as well haven’t shown any inclination toward punishing India for building stronger ties with the Jewish state. These factors, combined with an increased mandate, give Modi even greater leverage in cementing diplomatic ties with Israel than he had in his previous term.

Read more at JNS

More about: Indian Jewry, Israel-Arab relations, Israel-India relations

The Mass Expulsion of Palestinians Is No Solution. Neither Are Any of the Usual Plans for Gaza

Examining the Trump administration’s proposals for the people of Gaza, Danielle Pletka writes:

I do not believe that the forced cleansing of Gaza—a repetition of what every Arab country did to the hundreds of thousands of Arab Jews in 1948— is a “solution.” I don’t think Donald Trump views that as a permanent solution either (read his statement), though I could be wrong. My take is that he believes Gaza must be rebuilt under new management, with only those who wish to live there resettling the land.

The time has long since come for us to recognize that the establishment doesn’t have the faintest clue what to do about Gaza. Egypt doesn’t want it. Jordan doesn’t want it. Iran wants it, but only as cannon fodder. The UN wants it, but only to further its anti-Semitic agenda and continue milking cash from the West. Jordanians, Lebanese, and Syrians blame Palestinians for destroying their countries.

Negotiations with Hamas have not worked. Efforts to subsume Gaza under the Palestinian Authority have not worked. Rebuilding has not worked. Destruction will not work. A “two-state solution” has not arrived, and will not work.

So what’s to be done? If you live in Washington, New York, London, Paris, or Berlin, your view is that the same answers should definitely be tried again, but this time we mean it. This time will be different. . . . What could possibly make you believe this other than ideological laziness?

Read more at What the Hell Is Going On?

More about: Donald Trump, Gaza Strip, Palestinians