“If Not India, Then Who?”: Palestine’s Powerful Message Puts Global Pressure on New Delhi

Palestine's Ambassador to India, Abdullah Abu Shawesh, made a compelling call for New Delhi to assume a pivotal role in halting the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and orchestrating its post-war revival. Framing India as the quintessential "champion of the Global South," Shawesh posed a rhetorical challenge: "If it is not you, then who? If it is not India, then who?" He emphasized India's unique diplomatic leverage—bolstered by deepening ties with Israel and historical solidarity with Palestine—to press for accountability, facilitate immediate aid, and drive reconstruction efforts, positioning the nation as an indispensable mediator in the protracted conflict.

Shawesh delivered a stark, firsthand depiction of Gaza's devastation, asserting that the conflict's toll—over 67,000 civilian deaths, predominantly non-combatants—constitutes genocide, a characterization echoed by the United Nations and even Israeli watchdog groups. He recounted harrowing scenes of malnutrition claiming 500 children's lives, surgeries performed without anesthesia, and a collapsed medical infrastructure, underscoring the urgent need for global intervention.

Dismissing narratives that prioritize dismantling Hamas to avert future threats like the October 7, 2023, attack that claimed 1,200 Israeli lives, Shawesh redirected scrutiny to the Israeli occupation as the root of regional terror, arguing that Palestinian militancy arose from systemic policies that inadvertently bolstered groups like Hamas.

Invoking India's storied legacy of non-alignment—from Mahatma Gandhi's opposition to Partition to the 1988 recognition of Palestine—Shawesh highlighted the nation's consistent support in international forums and its cross-partisan domestic backing, from Kerala to the capital. He affirmed the Palestinian Authority's rejection of militias in any future state, stressing a commitment to a demilitarized entity that ensures security for all. On shared concerns like terrorism, Shawesh noted President Mahmoud Abbas's condemnation of attacks on Indian soil, including the Pahalgam incident in Jammu and Kashmir, reinforcing mutual solidarity against extremism.

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Shawesh's appeal extends beyond rhetoric, proposing practical collaboration: India leveraging its development expertise for Gaza's rebuilding and diplomatic channels to enforce accountability. As New Delhi navigates its balanced relations with Israel and Palestine, this intervention spotlights India's moral authority and economic prowess as vital assets in forging a two-state solution. By championing reconstruction, India could not only alleviate immediate suffering but also prevent the resurgence of armed factions, securing a stable peace that aligns with its Global South leadership.

The ambassador's words resonate amid escalating calls for resolution, reminding global stakeholders of India's potential as a bridge-builder. With Gaza's crisis demanding concerted action, Shawesh's plea positions New Delhi at the forefront of a humanitarian and diplomatic pivot, where influence meets empathy to rewrite a narrative of enduring conflict.

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