The indecisiveness over the UNIFIL, also underscore the aged old dilemmas facing India’s Middle East policy.

The unanimous resolution adopted by the Lok Sabha signalled India’s partisan view of the events in the region. While criticising Israeli attacks against Lebanon and its civilian population, the Indian lawmakers were silent on the death and destruction wrought by Hezbollah rocket attacks against Israel.

Narrow domestic calculations, constant pressures from the ideological Left, ideological blindness, partisan politic, lopsided Indian understanding of the complex Lebanese reality and pro-Iranian and pro-Syrian sentiments among sections of establishment have resulted in India not being willing to admit the threats posed by radical militant groups such as Hezbollah. Like the Lashkar-e-Toiba, Hezbollah operates within a sovereign state and pursues an independent and autonomous foreign and security policy that are at odds with the central authority. India’s Special Envoy to the Middle East might believe that Hezbollah is a resistance force and that the Lebanese nation should not be made accountable for the activities of Hezbollah. Then not many will believe Prime Minister Manmohan Singh when he blames President Parvez Musharraf for the actions of LeT.

The writer teaches at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi