New Delhi, February 19 The Congress on Thursday criticized the government over India reportedly joining the list of countries criticizing Israel for its unilateral measures in the West Bank, saying this is "pure hypocrisy" and "cynicism" since Prime Minister Narendra Modi will soon be visiting Israel.
India is reportedly among the countries criticizing Israel for its unilateral measures in the West Bank. India had not been part of the original group of 85 countries that issued a statement on February 17, 2026.
In a post on X, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "On Tuesday, February 17, 2025, 85 countries issued a collective statement at the UN, strongly criticizing Israel's continued unilateral actions that are displacing and dispossessing thousands of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank."
India was not among these 85 countries, even though it was one of the first to recognize the State of Palestine on November 18, 1988, he said.
"It took India 24 hours to join this list of 85 countries. This is sheer hypocrisy and cynicism, given that the Prime Minister will be visiting Israel early next week. If he is truly serious – which, of course, he is not – he should publicly call out his friend, Mr. Netanyahu, and express India's grave concern about what Israel is doing in the occupied West Bank," Ramesh said.
Modi is scheduled to visit Israel for two days, starting on February 25, sources said.
The Congress had earlier this week criticized the Centre after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu first announced Prime Minister Modi's visit to Israel, saying that India is hearing about its own government's actions from foreign leaders.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu first announced Modi's visit while addressing the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organisations on February 15. "Parliament address on the anvil. Who's coming here next week? Narendra Modi," Netanyahu told the gathering.
In a post on X, Ramesh had said, “India hears of the halt to Operation Sindoor first from the US Secretary of State. India hears of the India-US trade deal first from the US President."
“Just now, India has heard of Prime Minister Modi's dates for his visit to Israel first from Mr. Netanyahu – who has reduced Gaza to rubble and dust and is now dispossessing and displacing more Palestinians in the occupied West Bank,” the Congress leader had said.