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India must look at Israeli POV
by rawemotions Wed Jul 23, 2014 6:13 am
http://www.ndtv.com/article/opinion/india-must-look-at-israel-s-point-of-view-563606?pfrom=home-topstories
Excerpts
All of this is true, but does it imply Hindus and Jews - Indians and Israelites - have no comparable history? To pick a random example, the account of the Roman historian Josephus would suggest otherwise. On the 15th of Xanthicus (roughly, April), AD 74, Josephus writes, Eleazer ben Yair, leader of a Jewish community besieged by invading Romans in their rock fortress of Masada, rose to address his people. He had a simple message: There would be no surrender. They would all have to die, kill each other, with the last man killing himself.
Eleazer's listeners demurred. Sensing their fear, the charismatic leader rose again, to deliver a final exhortation. It was an evocation of the Hindu rite of passage, of seeing death in the flesh as just another milestone on the soul's immortal journey. "Are we not," Eleazer asked, "ashamed to have lower notions than the Indians? And by our own cowardice?" Later that day, 960 Jews killed themselves, the Romans captured a ghost town and Masada became a reference point for courage and resolve for all times to come.
It is humbling that perhaps the most iconic event in Israeli history was at least partly inspired by India. This proves nothing in the cold practice of diplomacy, but does negate that silly argument that Indian foreign policy should swerve towards those with whom there has been a civilisational relationship. In reality, depending on which time frame you choose, there has been an Indian civilisational relationship with virtually every major society in West Asia, including the Jews of Israel.
<..snip..>
Yet, the Ministry of External Affairs, in its initial response, urged talks between Israel and Hamas. How would New Delhi have liked it if on the morning after 26/11, an external government had advised negotiations between the government of India and Jamat ul Dawa? Sometimes, just sometimes, see it from Israel's point of view.
Excerpts
All of this is true, but does it imply Hindus and Jews - Indians and Israelites - have no comparable history? To pick a random example, the account of the Roman historian Josephus would suggest otherwise. On the 15th of Xanthicus (roughly, April), AD 74, Josephus writes, Eleazer ben Yair, leader of a Jewish community besieged by invading Romans in their rock fortress of Masada, rose to address his people. He had a simple message: There would be no surrender. They would all have to die, kill each other, with the last man killing himself.
Eleazer's listeners demurred. Sensing their fear, the charismatic leader rose again, to deliver a final exhortation. It was an evocation of the Hindu rite of passage, of seeing death in the flesh as just another milestone on the soul's immortal journey. "Are we not," Eleazer asked, "ashamed to have lower notions than the Indians? And by our own cowardice?" Later that day, 960 Jews killed themselves, the Romans captured a ghost town and Masada became a reference point for courage and resolve for all times to come.
It is humbling that perhaps the most iconic event in Israeli history was at least partly inspired by India. This proves nothing in the cold practice of diplomacy, but does negate that silly argument that Indian foreign policy should swerve towards those with whom there has been a civilisational relationship. In reality, depending on which time frame you choose, there has been an Indian civilisational relationship with virtually every major society in West Asia, including the Jews of Israel.
<..snip..>
Yet, the Ministry of External Affairs, in its initial response, urged talks between Israel and Hamas. How would New Delhi have liked it if on the morning after 26/11, an external government had advised negotiations between the government of India and Jamat ul Dawa? Sometimes, just sometimes, see it from Israel's point of view.
rawemotions- Posts : 1690
Join date : 2011-05-03
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