Extremism, whether from the right or the left, is extremely dangerous. Let's consider the case of Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who was undeniably a popular leader. He became the youngest Prime Minister of Israel in 1996 at the age of 47. Today, he holds the record for the longest-serving Prime Minister in the country.

He came to power promising the equivalent of "Sabka Vikas" (Progress for all). Like his friend and Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, he has always been in campaign mode, either defending his position or ensuring its security in the next election. The fact remains that neither of them needs to do this, as their place in history is already secure.

Modi has to remember that he is the head of a secular state and must function accordingly. Netanyahu has to remember that he and his country are committed to honouring international covenants, including UN resolutions and the Oslo Accords signed between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO).

It's true that Modi's entry into politics began with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) which aims to recreate Akhand Bharat. It is a different matter that there was no such Bharat at any time. Modern-day India was created by integrating over 600 native states into the Indian Union. 

Modi knows that creating Akhand Bharat is an impossible dream, especially when, at the first available opportunity, the people of Ladakh voted against the BJP in the recent Hill Development Council elections, held after Jammu and Kashmir was divided into two Union Territories.

In contrast to India, Israel is a theocratic state where Jews are the overwhelming majority. There are political leaders in Israel who dream of an Akhand Israel (Greater Israel). Their vision of such a state includes the West Bank and Gaza, inhabited mostly by Muslims, as integral parts of the nation, of course, without the population.

Netanyahu should know that this is an impossible dream, but he prefers to remain silent on this because he wants the Zionist votes too. Muslims make up about 18 percent of the Israeli population, which is more than their percentage in India. There are 11 Muslims in Israeli Parliament (Knesset) that has 120 seats. There are politicians in Israel who openly speak against them. In fact, they would like them to leave Israel forever.

During the last elections, Netanyahu himself made fun of the Muslims when he said that they went to the polling booths in droves. Many of Modi's party members also make such assertions. When the Israeli Premier’s comment became controversial, he withdrew it, but by then the voting was over, and the desired polarisation had occurred.

What Netanyahu forgot was that he was the PM of not only Jews but also Muslims, other Arabs and Christians in Israel. His alliance with ultra-rightist, supremacist Zionists has been encouraging such forces to provoke Muslims around the Al-Aqsa Mosque. For Muslims, it is the third most important mosque after the Mecca and Medina mosques in Saudi Arabia.

Any perception that they cannot peacefully offer prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque is bound to exacerbate tension in the region. However, that is what Netanyahu has been doing, much to the chagrin of saner people all over the world. There have been a series of incidents that have not reflected well on Israel's reputation.

His long stay in power should have conditioned his mind to work within the limitations of his office. Yet, Netanyahu had ambitions of emerging as the undisputed leader of Israel a la Vladimir Putin. He squandered his energy contemplating plans to make the Supreme Court of Israel subservient to him. 

Millions of Israelis were forced to come out on the streets to protest against his malicious move against the apex court. Incidentally, his friend in India also attempted to end the collegium system and take the right of appointment of judges into his own hands. One does not have to mention how he tried to redefine nationality on the basis of religion.  

While Netanyahu was focused on petty posturing, Hamas was busy planning its murderous assault on Israel. What happened on October 7 was unbelievable. Israel's Mossad is renowned for its espionage prowess. Gaza is a 365 sq. km strip of land, often referred to as an open-air prison. Nothing happens there without the knowledge of Mossad, which has sophisticated tools in place both within and outside Gaza.

Netanyahu had no clue that Hamas had been amassing weapons like missiles and rockets for a deadly strike. For the first time, the militants penetrated Israel, reaching as far as 25 km inside Israeli territory. 

The Hamas arrived in bulldozers and trucks brandishing weapons and missiles. In a matter of hours, they killed more than 1200 Israelis, mostly women and children, in their own homes. This was nothing but savagery that no civilised entity can approve of. Moreover, they also took about 150 people, including children, as hostages. 

Never before had Israel lost so many people in so few hours. Netanyahu was clearly at a loss as Israel was exposed for its unpreparedness. Modi was one of the first to extend support to him. He said, "India strongly and unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.”

Later, when Netanyahu called Modi on the phone, he thanked him "for his phone call and providing an update on the ongoing situation." Since Independence, India had never been as close to Israel as it is now. Taking their cue from Modi, his followers have been defending Israel on social media platforms. 

This was contrary to India's time-tested policy, which has been to stand by the Palestinians through thick and thin. True, Hamas has been in control of Gaza for the last 16 years, and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) is no longer what it used to be. That does not mean that there is a case for watering India’s policy on Palestine. Both Israel and Palestine have a right to exist as sovereign nations.

It took India five days to issue a statement: "Our policy in this regard has been long-standing and consistent. India has always advocated the resumption of direct negotiations towards establishing a sovereign, independent, and viable State of Palestine living within secure and recognised borders, side by side in peace with Israel."

By the way, this statement was issued after Vladimir Putin of Russia came out in support of the Palestinians. Nevertheless, the situation in Gaza is undeniably grim. In retaliatory military action, Israel has killed a larger number of people. If Hamas thought they could use the Israeli hostages for bargaining, the Israelis have outsmarted them.

Before attacking Gaza, Netanyahu asked the people to flee. He would have done well to tell them where they should go. On one side, the Mediterranean Sea is there. Gaza borders with Egypt and Israel. Could they have gone to Israel? No, Egypt had already closed the borders.

Already, Egypt has 100,000 people from Sudan as refugees, and they can't afford to accommodate more. The fact of the matter is that the Palestinians have nowhere to go. Israel has already cut off the supply of water, electricity, and fuel to Gaza. They say the supplies will resume only if Hamas releases the Israelis held as hostages.

Air bombardments have devastated Gaza. According to the UN estimate, nearly three lakh people have been displaced from their homes in Gaza. They have been deprived of all the necessities of life. Healthcare in Gaza is in a shambles, leading to a humanitarian crisis of the worst order.

Israel aims to eliminate Hamas, but it's easier said than done. Their primary target is Muhammad Deif, who leads the military wing of Hamas and oversaw the deadly attack on October 7. It's difficult for Israel to identify the Hamas leadership, as they may have by now blended into the civilian population. 

What are the options available to Israel? True, they have amassed troops, including reservists, in large numbers at the gates of Gaza. It's easy to drop bombs and send missiles, but it's challenging to carry out a ground war when the entire population would be against the invaders.

Israel cannot even think of setting up puppet regimes, as the Soviet Union and the USA did in Afghanistan, as there won't be anyone willing to collaborate with the Israelis. Israel cannot afford to escalate the war, especially by involving Hezbollah, which would be suicidal.

Modi's support doesn't mean much to Netanyahu, as India is capable only of issuing statements. When Russia attacked Ukraine and the whole world condemned it, India chose to remain "neutral," despite the recognition that neutrality is not an option when the fight is between right and wrong.

There are hotheads in Israel who believe that the West Bank and Gaza should be ethnically cleansed, much like the Kukis were ethnically cleansed from the Imphal Valley in Manipur. However, Manipur is not Palestine. One of the reasons why Hamas attacked Israel was to derail the thaw in Israel's relations with Saudi Arabia.

The Abraham Accords that Israel signed with Bahrain, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates gave both Israel and the US the idea that a similar accord could be reached with Saudi Arabia as well. What is significant about these accords is that they gave Israel the confidence to pretend that everything is going well, even though the Palestine issue remains unsettled.

Netanyahu wants the whole world to treat Hamas as it treated the Islamic State, or ISIS. They are not comparable. Hamas is confined to a narrow strip of land with no expansionist plans, even though the destruction of Israel is an objective. 

The IS controlled a large territory and aspired to establish itself as the modern-day Caliphate, controlling the entire Islamic world, including Saudi Arabia. Consequently, it was despised by all Islamic states, which made the task of eradicating it easier.

One thing that can be said in Israel's favour is that Hamas's murderous attack did not set the Nile on fire. Yes, the Arab Street witnessed jubilation, but it was muted. This may be because of the savagery employed by the Hamas militants who did not spare even infants. 

Nonetheless, the attack did not evoke massive support from Arab nations. For instance, the Ayatollah of Iran made some remarks, but they were more for domestic consumption. Similarly, Hizbullah fired a few rockets at Israel, but they were symbolic rather than substantial. Restraint was the word for most Arabic nations. 

All this provides Israel with a window of opportunity. The longer the war continues, the greater the chance of other countries and forces getting sucked into it. The world is already paying a heavy price for the Russia-Ukraine war. If the war spreads, it will be disastrous for the world. Neither side may want a war, but escalation is not always guided by logic. 

One interesting tidbit from the war is a short video clip that shows an Israeli soldier asking an enthusiastic Indian television reporter to lower his voice and cool down while reporting from the battleground. At least Indian reporters who ignored Manipur for months saw the news value in the Israel-Hamas war. 

Amid the ongoing conflict, the United Nations remains conspicuously inactive, failing to take necessary actions to facilitate peace in the region. This mirrors its limited efforts in resolving the Russia-Ukraine war. 

The global community cannot bear the weight of a conflict with the potential to escalate into a worldwide crisis. The path to eliminating terrorism lies in the joint efforts of Israel and its Arab allies to establish stability in the region, ultimately leading to the hope of peace. After all, peace surpasses all other treasures! 

ajphilip@gmail.com