recognition without relations 119campaign for international recognition of communist China while deny-
ing the same privilege to the Jewish state.
Sixth, India appeared to be genuinely interested in playing a media-
tory role in the Arab- Israeli confl ict. Explaining the decision to recognize
Israel, the offi cial spokesperson for the Ministry of External Aff airs
observed: “continuing non- recognition is not only inconsistent with the
overall relations but even limits the eff ectiveness of the Government of
India’s role as a possible intermediary between Israel and the Arab
states.”^67 Nehru felt the need to establish some balance in India’s Middle
East policy, especially vis-à- vis Israel.
Seventh, recognition enjoyed signifi cant support inside the country
and was often raised in the Constituent Assembly debates. The issue fi rst
came up in August 1948, when the socialist member of the Assembly H. V.
Kamath questioned India’s policy toward Israel.^68 Since then, it fi gured
in every session of the Constituent Assembly and forced Nehru to articu-
late his stand.^69 Such debates provide an insight into the slow but gradual
Indian advance toward recognition. Though relatively small in number, a
few prominent Indians living abroad were also active in this direction.^70
Likewise, se nior Indian diplomats such as K. M. Panikkar were favorably
inclined toward recognition long before the offi cial move.
Eighth, Israel carried out eff ective lobbying for recognition. Such ef-
forts were made both directly by Israeli diplomats posted in Washington
and New York and by U.S. offi cials sympathetic toward Israel. Israel estab-
lished and maintained regular personal contacts with se nior Indian diplo-
mats in the United States and the United Nations; they included Asaf Ali,
B. N. Rau, Shiv Rao, Vijayalakshmi Pandit, and Krishna Menon. The pro-
India U.S. congressman Emanuel Celler played a role in this campaign
and was present at the Nehru- Elath meeting in October 1949 in New York.
According to Elath, Nehru “arrived [at the] conclusion [that] recognition
cannot be postponed much longer. Here he turned [to] Celler saying it
would be unwise to grant Israel recognition during his [Nehru’s] stay [in
the United States] because this [is] liable [to be] interpreted as American
pressure.”^71 Weizmann was in periodic correspondence with B. N. Rau,
and following the establishment of Israel, he approached Rau for the same
purpose.^72 Toward the same end, the Sanskrit scholar Immanuel Olsvan-
ger, who had visited India in 1936, revived his old contacts in India.^73 Even
before the formation of Israel, the renowned scientist Albert Einstein
sought Nehru’s support for the Jewish cause.^74 Given this worldwide, star-
studded lobbying, India could only delay and not deny recognition.