Modi's unqualified praise for Israeli PM 'shocking', 'morally atrocious': Congress

New Delhi, Oct 9 (PTI) The Congress on Thursday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "unqualified praise" for his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu was "shameful and morally atrocious", and slammed the Indian prime minister's "silence" on the future of an independent and sovereign state of Palestine.

The opposition party's assertion came after Prime Minister Modi welcomed the agreement on the first phase of US President Donald Trump's peace plan for West Asia, under which Israel and Hamas have decided to pause fighting in Gaza.

Modi also said the agreement was a reflection of the strong leadership of Netanyahu.

Launching the attack on the prime minister, Congress general secretary in-charge communications, Jairam Ramesh, said Modi said nothing on the continued expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

"The prime minister has welcomed the new developments regarding Gaza and hailed President Trump. That eagerness to do so is not surprising. But what is shocking, shameful, and morally atrocious is Mr. Modi's unqualified praise for the Israeli PM Mr. Netanyahu -- who has unleashed a genocide in Gaza over the past twenty months," Ramesh said.

"Mr. Modi has also maintained a total silence on the future of an independent, sovereign state of Palestine that was recognised by India way back in November 1988, and that is now recognised by over 150 countries," he added.

In a post on X earlier, Modi said, "We welcome the agreement on the first phase of President Trump's peace plan. This is also a reflection of the strong leadership of PM Netanyahu." "We hope the release of hostages and enhanced humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza will bring respite to them and pave the way for lasting peace," Modi said.

Israel and Hamas have agreed to pause the fighting in Gaza and release at least some hostages and prisoners in an agreement put forward by the Trump administration.

The agreement marks the biggest breakthrough in months in the devastating two-year-old war.

Last week, the Congress alleged that Prime Minister Modi is maintaining a complete silence on the "horrific atrocities" in Gaza, calling it "moral cowardice" and "total betrayal" of all that India has stood for.

Last month, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) also expressed "profound distress" over the ongoing "genocide" of innocent civilians in Gaza, and said India has always been a beacon of moral conscience but "has now shamefully been reduced to a silent spectator".

"India has always been a beacon of moral conscience and the champion of the post-colonial world, it has now shamefully been reduced to a silent spectator. Our foreign policy has now acquired a moral taint," the CWC resolution said. PTI ASK ARI