Not visiting Palestine was a diplomatic blunder of PM Modi, says Shabbir Ali

Prime Minister  Narender Modi had put the India foreign policy towards  Muslims  nations  in jeopardy  by  his over-zealous three-day tour of  Israel by not visiting Palestine, which was just across the border of  Israel, said Leader of Opposition in Telangana Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir on Friday. This  was the first  visit  by an Indian Prime Minister to Israel .

Contending that the Prime Minister had committed  a diplomatic blunder which  could vitiate the friendly relations with Islamic and the Middle East nations in  future, Shabbir Ali said that  the Prime Minister could have spared a few hours  to visit Palestine and Jerusalem  during  his  three day sojourn  in Israel as both  locations were  just  a crows  fly  away. He said that Prime Minister who spent three days in Israel strolling  on the beach  and also visiting museums etc  could have also spent  few hours visiting  the grand Mosque of  Palestine and also the Holy icons of  Christianity at  Jerusalem. "If our PM, had displayed such statesmanship it would have gone a long way in reassuring all minorities in India and abroad confidence in the concept of secularism which was a core element of the Indian democracy," he said.

Lamenting that the Prime Minister Narender Modi had failed to take note of the fact that Palestine had been one of an oldest supporter of India in the Middle East its past president Yassir Arafat, had been a great friend and supporter of India in the UN and other issues connected with Minorities on the world forums. "PM had also ignored the fact that lakhs of Indians are working in Gulf countries in very good positions in governments and also in academic and business front. A short visit by our PM to any of these countries or at least Palestine would have cemented lasting good will and brotherhood and elevated the pride of all Indians working there," he said. 

Shabbir Ali said that PM's visit to Israel had sent a wrong and misguided signal to the  friendly  middle  east  countries  and it is  essential  for both the PMO and the MEA to make a timely  announcement on how and why  the PM's itinerary missed Palestine - even for  few hours - and set right  the  diplomatic  blunder.