PM Modi's visit to Israel untimely, claims AIMIM chief Owaisi

Hyderabad, Feb 28 (PTI) AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Israel was “untimely” and alleged that the country used the visit to its advantage.

The Hyderabad MP said Modi should clarify whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had informed him about a planned attack on Iran.

If Netanyahu had informed him, Modi should have cut short the visit and returned to India, he said. If not, it would amount to a betrayal of the people of India, he added.

“They (Israel) used the Prime Minister’s visit to justify their attack on Iran and to cover up their actions against Palestinians in Gaza,” Owaisi told reporters.

He further said the development could create an impression that India supports Israel rather than Iran.

Questioning the outcome of the visit, Owaisi asked what benefit India had derived from the situation.

Noting that around 10 million Indians live in Gulf countries, he said the sequence of events could send a message to people in those nations that Israel attacked Iran soon after Modi’s visit.

India has traditionally maintained a neutral stance in the Middle East, but this could now be affected, he said, adding that the Prime Minister and the BJP should take note of this.

Referring to recent developments, Owaisi said Qatar had been hosting ceasefire talks on Gaza, even as Israel carried out strikes.

“What is India’s benefit in this? The larger question is who will trust the US, which is holding talks while also carrying out attacks,” he said.

Owaisi alleged that Israel used Modi’s visit to signal to the world that India stands with it.

He also called for the evacuation of Indian nationals, stating that around 50,000 Indians are in Iran and about 10,000 in Israel, while nearly 10 million reside in GCC countries.

“Who will suffer because of this?” he asked, questioning how India’s national interests were served by the prime minister’s visit. PTI SJR SSK