New Delhi: Indiaโs former permanent representative to the UN, Syed Akbaruddin on Saturday dismissed as โutter rubbishโ the โinsinuationโ in a New York Times report which cited Indiaโs 2019 vote in support of Israel at the UNโs Economic and Social Council to highlight deepening of ties after a deal that included sale of the Israeli spyware Pegasus.
Tagging a tweet on the NYT report, Mr Akbaruddin, who was Indiaโs Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations from 2016-2020, said, โThe insinuation about Indiaโs UN vote is utter rubbishโฆโ
The media report said the Israeli spyware Pegasus and a missile system were the โcenterpiecesโ of a roughly $2 billion deal of sophisticated weapons and intelligence gear between India and Israel in 2017. It also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modiโs visit to Israel in July 2017 โ to become the first Indian prime minister to visit the country.
โFor decades, India had maintained a policy of what it called โcommitment to the Palestinian causeโ, and relations with Israel were frosty. The Modi visit, however, was notably cordial, complete with a carefully staged moment of him and (then Israeli) Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu walking together barefoot on a local beach,โ it said.
โThey had reason for the warm feelings. Their countries had agreed on the sale of a package of sophisticated weapons and intelligence gear worth roughly USD 2 billion โ with Pegasus and a missile system as the centerpieces,โ the report said.
โMonths later, Netanyahu made a rare state visit to India. And in June 2019, India voted in support of Israel at the UNโs Economic and Social Council to deny observer status to a Palestinian human rights organisation, a first for the nation,โ the report said.
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