New Delhi:
As Israel faces a important juncture in its historical past with its warfare on two fronts – with Hamas and Hezbollah – the nation’s envoy to India has mentioned it has been attacked greater than another nation in fashionable occasions and all its actions are pushed by the target of rooting out radicalism and establishing peace and stability.
In a wide-ranging, unique interview with NDTV on Tuesday, Israeli Ambassador Reuven Azar was additionally requested in regards to the pager and walkie-talkie explosions in Lebanon, for which Israel is being blamed. He answered that warfare has a hybrid nature now and, given the assaults on it, Israel needs to be in a scenario the place it not solely has to defend itself, but in addition be capable of “shock its enemy”.
Mr Azar additionally spoke in regards to the help Israel has obtained from the US and India, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assembly with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session in New York on Monday.
‘Attacked Like No Other’
To a query on the pager and handheld radio explosions throughout Lebanon final week, during which a minimum of 37 individuals have been killed and 1000’s injured and a Mossad hand has been suspected, the ambassador mentioned, “In the previous, there was both wars in opposition to standard armies or fights in opposition to terrorism, however I feel that, immediately, warfare has a hybrid nature. We have seen it in Israel as a result of we’ve been attacked like no different nation within the historical past of contemporary occasions. We have been attacked not solely with rockets and missiles however there have additionally been cyberattacks; we’ve been attacked from the air, from the ocean, from the land, from tunnels…”
“At the top of the day, it’s important to create a scenario during which you cannot solely defend your self but in addition be capable of shock your enemy. I will not go into particulars of what Israel is doing or not doing, however the backside line is that if we need to obtain stability, we’ve to indicate these terrorists which can be utilizing uncoventional and unethical and immoral methods of combating, that we are able to additionally shock them,” he warned.
Civilian Casualties?
Israel has introduced that it has shifted its focus to the northern entrance with Lebanon and its in a single day strikes on the south of the nation killed over 550 individuals, together with 50 kids. Israel additionally struck over 1,500 suspected Hezbollah websites across the nation as a part of what it referred to as “Operation Northern Arrows”.
Asked about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s assertion that Lebanese individuals mustn’t develop into “human shields” for Hezbollah and the excessive civilian casualties in Gaza and Lebanon, Mr Azar mentioned many of the 1,700 army targets that Israel focused in southern Lebanon previously 48 hours have been “embedded” within the properties of civilians.
“What Hezbollah has completed previously few years is a double warfare crime. They have been embedding their missiles contained in the properties of individuals to hide them from Israel they usually have been firing indiscriminately at civilians in northern Israel from these installations. So what Israel needed to do is meticulously collect intelligence about these places over just a few years and, happily we’ve been in a position to goal and destroy 1000’s of missiles that have been in these areas,” he mentioned.
The ambassador claimed that a number of the households that have been dwelling there didn’t evacuate on time.
“(This was) although we referred to as them over the telephone, we intercepted radio communications… we tried each manner doable to take them out of hurt’s manner. Despite that, sure, there have been some civilians that have been killed as properly. But while you take a look at the magnitude of this – 1,700 army targets in 48 hours – you will notice that, truly, this has been very profitable; as a result of on the finish of the day, while you evaluate the harm that may be precipitated from these missiles to Israeli civilians to the value that the individuals should pay, it is a comparatively low value,” he mentioned.
Mr Azar mentioned each lack of life is tragic and claimed that Israel does no matter is feasible to take civilians out of hurt’s manner. “Fortunately, immediately, 1000’s and tens of 1000’s of civilians from South Lebanon have been evacuated, and that is an important factor. We will proceed to place strain on Hezbollah,” he asserted.
‘War Can Be Stopped Right Now’
The ambassador mentioned Israel shouldn’t be eager about warfare and claimed that the nation has been making an attempt to – together with the US – discover a diplomatic answer regardless of Hezbollah firing 8,300 rockets “in an unprovoked manner” at Israel within the final 11 months. He mentioned that if Hezbollah respects an earlier UN decision and strikes away from the border, there might be a ceasefire.
“Our civilians will be capable of return to their properties and we are able to cease the warfare now. But if Hezbollah continues to be cussed and continues to fireside at Israel and continues to refuse to implement the UN Security Council decision, this warfare will proceed,” he mentioned.
On protests in Israel over 700 Israeli defence personnel having misplaced their lives, Mr Azar insisted that there’s “wall-to-wall” consensus in his nation that it has to take care of “safety threats” within the Gaza Strip and the north of the nation.
“Israel has to return to a traditional life and we can not do this when we’ve a menace of imminent assault by terrorists. Now, in fact, this has a price. And sure, there are individuals that aren’t glad, particularly the households which have hostages nonetheless within the Gaza Strip. So we should take care of the dilemma and we should resolve the scenario as a result of we can not give up to Hamas and we are attempting to get right into a deal that’s truly sponsored by the United States and by the Security Council. But, because the spokesperson of the White House has mentioned, Hamas is refusing this deal and due to this fact we should be persistent… we’ve to create a scenario during which these terrorist organisations will now not assault Israel sooner or later,” he mentioned.
‘India Has Suffered Too’
Mr Azar mentioned that the truth that India abstained from a UN General Assembly Resolution demanding that Israel deliver an finish to its illegal presence within the Occupied Palestinian Territory exhibits that the nation helps a sensible answer.
To a query on whether or not India can play a peacemaker, the ambassador mentioned, “We recognize very a lot the help of India since October 7 (the day of the Hamas assaults final 12 months) and the truth that India condemned the assaults and supported the correct for self-defence. I feel that the voting of India within the General Assembly is testomony that they’re following a path of supporting a sensible answer and never one thing that’s utterly indifferent from actuality,” he mentioned.
“If we need to see a scenario during which the Palestinians rule themselves – that is one thing that Israel desires to see as properly, not simply India – we should work collectively to defeat the terrorists and likewise encourage the extra pragmatic and reasonable forces inside Palestinian society. We should combat radicalism in West Asia as a result of that is truly the supply of the instability we’re seeing round us. And India is aware of that very properly as a result of you may have been affected by that form of radicalism round you,” he added.
On PM Modi’s assembly with Palestinian President Abbas during which he expressed concern over the scenario in Gaza and referred to as for an finish to hostilities, the ambassador mentioned, “We additionally need to see an finish to the hostilities. We are a peace-loving nation. We are a democracy. We thrive as a result of we preserve intervals of stability. And we want the assistance of our mates to be able to restore that stabilty. And it is going to be as much as India to resolve to what extent it desires to be concerned.”
He mentioned that Israel and different “pragmatic international locations” generally is a hall between India and Europe as soon as peace prevails.
Broad Support
The ambassador mentioned there’s broad help for Israel within the US and Vice President Kamala Harris has not mentioned she is going to restrict help to the nation if she is elected.
“Actually, 80% of American individuals help Israel and its proper to defend itself. And this occurs each on the Republican and Democratic sides. We get pleasure from overwhelming help in Congress, and we noticed that when Prime Minister Netanyahu visited the United States and gave his fourth speech in Congress – the overseas chief who gave probably the most variety of speeches earlier than each homes of Congress. So I feel that our scenario within the United States is strong, and I’m assured that we’ll discover a solution to cooperate with any American administration that might be elected in November,” he mentioned.