164 i n t e r n a t i o n a l f a c t o r srivalry transformed into an intense competition between India and Paki-
stan, which was substantially played out in the Middle East arena. In
the pro cess, Indian commitments to the Palestinians acquired greater
prominence.
The Cold War
While the Eurocentric cold war was not instrumental in India’s
Israel policy, it provided, especially in the later years, a strong ideological
basis for opposition to Israel. The emergence of anticolonial and anti-
imperialist sentiments in various parts of the decolonized world eventu-
ally turned into a generalized hostility to the West. A number of Western
countries, such as Britain, France, and Italy, were also former colonial
powers; this made the task of defi ning the “other” easier. As discussed,
its identifi cation with the Eu ro pe an powers during the Suez crisis made
it easier for Nehru and his allies to lump Israel with imperialism. Their
reluctance to recognize Zionism as a national- liberation movement was
vindicated when David Ben- Gurion joined with imperial powers against
a fellow member of the Afro- Asian world. For many, Israel’s exclusion
at the Bandung Conference a few months earlier was justifi ed. But was
there really nothing in common between the decolonialized, newly in de-
pen dent countries and Israel?
The Indian equation of Israel with the colonial, Western powers pre-
vailed even as Israeli leaders and diplomats stressed the identical policies
that India and Israel were pursuing. Two Israeli documents illustrate this
point. In June 1949, nearly fi fteen months before India’s recognition of
Israel, Abba Eban, the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, met his
Indian counterpart, Sir B. N. Rau, in New York City. Following the meet-
ing, the Israeli diplomat prepared an aide- mémoire:
It is suggested that the Government of India might be willing to recon-
sider its attitude to Israel in the light of the following considerations:- There is no confl ict of interest between the two countries...
- Israel, like India, seeks a conciliatory and unprejudiced position in
the confl ict between East and West... - India and Israel, almost alone amongst the new liberated States of
Asia, lay emphasis on the economic and social factor in national
liberation...