The UPA ally,the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML),may have asked the Government to sever all ties with Israel,but its national president and Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed seems to be satisfied with New Delhis response to the war in Gaza. As the IUML raised the pitch over the continuing attacks in Gaza in a desperate bid to sway in its favour the growing anti-Israel sentiment among Muslims in Kerala,Ahamed said while the party had taken a stand,he as a minister would follow the Governments view that the strikes were condemnable. The party has a view. As a minister I would follow the Governments view. The party has its policy while the Government has its policy. As a minister my view and that of the Government is that we condemn the killing of innocent people, Ahamed told The Indian Express. Asked whether he was satisfied with the Governments response to the Israeli attacks,he said,The Indian Government has responded positively in favour of the Palestine people. We have issued a statement saying we condemn the attacks. It is the strongest word. India has also said that it will support all efforts to bring about a ceasefire. Ahamed,who drew criticism from the Jewish community for not mentioning the Nariman House attack in his statement to the UN Security Council last month,is also faced with a political dilemma. He can neither go against the Congress Government supported by his party nor can he ignore the anti-Israeli mood in Kerala,especially when the CPI(M) is going all out to cash in on the Muslim sentiment. Taking a lead,the CPI(M)s central leadership has already demanded that India should snap all ties with Israel while the Kerala unit has decided to observe January 8 as Palestine Solidarity Day. The IUML is observing January 9 as Palestine Day. Keeping this in mind,Ahamed said the Israeli attacks in Gaza are not acceptable to a civilised society. The international community should come forward and force Israel to immediately end the aggression and start a peace process and noted that the Muslim League has also spoken on similar lines.
