(AP photo)
NEW DELHI: Israel on Thursday condemned the attack on two Indian workers in the city of Ashkelon, calling the incident “absolutely unacceptable.”The Israeli embassy in India also denounced the assault and said action had been taken against those responsible. In a post on X, it said, “The attack on two Indian workers yesterday in Ashkelon by delinquents is absolutely unacceptable. The Israeli police have caught the perpetrators and will bring them to justice.” The two workers were reportedly beaten in Ashkelon, located about 50 km from Tel Aviv. Israeli media described the assault as a “targeted, racially motivated attack.”Congress leader Pawan Khera raised concerns over the incident and urged External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to intervene. In a post on X, he said, “It was a premeditated racist assault, planned over private chats. This is not the first such attack. And sadly, it may not be the last.”He added, “The government’s failure to generate adequate employment at home has pushed Indian labourers to seek work in Israel. It celebrates Indo-Israel ‘friendship’ when sending Indian labourers there. But when our people face barbaric treatment, it falls silent and shrugs off responsibility.” Tagging Jaishankar, he said the minister “should urgently look into the matter, confirm the victim’s condition, and ensure he has access to adequate, free-of-cost medical care if required.”Khera also questioned whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi would raise the issue during his upcoming visit to Israel. “PM Modi is visiting Israel soon, will he raise the issue of racism and violent attacks against Indian nationals in Israel?” he asked.According to TRT World, the incident comes at a time when India has chosen not to join more than 80 countries that criticised Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank in a joint statement at the United Nations.Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Israel next week, marking his second trip to the country since 2017.
