Israeli ambassador’s ‘attempt to intimidate’ Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is ‘unprecedented’: Cong’s Pawan Khera slams Reuvan Azar

Congress leader Pawan Khera condemned Israeli Ambassador Reuven Azar for criticising Priyanka Gandhi Vadra over her accusation of genocide in Palestine, calling it “unprecedented” and “intolerable,” while demanding the Union government address what he termed a public attempt to intimidate an Indian MP.

Israeli ambassador’s ‘attempt to intimidate’ Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is ‘unprecedented’: Cong’s Pawan Khera slams Reuvan Azar

File Photo: IANS

Congress’ Pawan Khera on Wednesday condemned criticism of party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra by Israeli Ambassador to India Reuven Azar after she accused Tel Aviv of genocide in Palestine.

Khera sharply commented on the ambassador, stating that his targeting of a sitting Member of Parliament is both “unprecedented” and “intolerable”.

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Taking to X, he said, “That the ambassador of a state accused of genocide worldwide would target a sitting Member of the Indian Parliament is both unprecedented and intolerable. It is a direct affront to the dignity of Indian democracy.

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– Will you address the Israeli Ambassador’s public attempt to intimidate Smt. Priyanka Gandhi? Or has freedom of speech in India now begun to be regulated from Israel?

– No amount of deflection or whitewashing can obscure the facts. The international community is witnessing, in real time, the killing of civilians in Gaza – including those queuing for aid. The world sees the heartbreaking images emerging from Gaza every day. It will neither forget nor forgive.”

Tagging Jaishankar, the Congress leader demanded that the Israeli diplomat’s attempt to ‘publicly intimidate’ Priyanka Gandhi be slammed.

Apart from Mr Khera, the Congress’ Gaurav Gogoi also slammed the Israeli ambassador.

“The disparaging comments made by a foreign Ambassador against a Member of Parliament of India is a serious breach of privilege. Even if the Union Government is silent, the Parliament cannot remain a passive spectator…” he said on X.

Vadra had tweeted, “The Israeli state is committing genocide. It has murdered over 60,000 people, 18,430 of whom were children. It has starved hundreds to death, including many children, and is threatening to starve millions.”

She further condemned global silence, stating, “Enabling these crimes by silence and inaction is a crime in itself,” and criticised the Indian government, adding, “It is shameful that the Indian Government stands silent as Israel unleashes this devastation on the people of Palestine.”

In response to her remarks, Azar said, “What is shameful is your deceit. Israel killed 25,000 Hamas terrorists. The terrible cost in human lives derives from Hamas’s heinous tactics of hiding behind civilians, their shooting of people trying to evacuate or receive assistance, and their rocket fire.”

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