The protracted war in Palestine has now entered its 11th month. Over this period, significant events have unfolded: Israel has nearly eradicated Hamas from its territory, initiated anti-terror operations in the West Bank and Lebanon, and eliminated Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Iran. In this prolonged conflict, India maintains a balanced approach towards both Israel and Palestine. However, Islamists around the world have criticized India for its steadfast support of Israel. In this context, a viral infographic has been circulating on social media, allegedly quoting Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl. The statement claims: “Some of the worst massacres committed against Palestinians in Gaza are by Indian soldiers serving in the Israeli army. Indian Hindu nationalists are volunteering to fight in the Israeli army for the joy of killing Muslims.”
X handle Earth Hippy asserted, ‘I NEVER KNEW THIS WHAT ARE THEY DOING IN ISRAEL FIGHTING FOR THE COLONIST? A people that were colonised joined hands with the coloniser to make another group of indigenous people suffer. How does that make sense? Is it just for money?’
Huma Zehra wrote, ‘Indian soldiers join the Israeli army because they enjoy oppressing Muslim.’
Congress party supporter Nasreen Ebrahim claimed, ‘Dr Khaled Abou el-Fadl, a renowned UCLA law professor claims that Indian Hindu nationalists serve in the Israel army for the purpose of ‘killing Muslims “Some of the worst massacres committed in Gaza are by Indian soldiers serving in the Israeli army.”
Rima Allaham stated, ‘In a Friday sermon streamed on YouTube of the Usuli Institute earlier this year,UCLA professor of Law Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl mentioned that Indian Hindu nationalists are volunteering to fight with the Israeli army in Gaza, motivated by a desire for the “joy of killing Muslims”.
In addition, Paul William and Twilight shared an infographic image.
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We began our fact-checking process by searching for relevant keywords from the statement allegedly made by Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl. We found that the UCLA professor made this statement in January 2024, making it not recent.
Next, we searched for information on Indian soldiers fighting alongside the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) but found no such evidence. However, we did discover that over 200 Indian-origin Jews from the Bnei Menashe community, who recently migrated to Israel, have joined the IDF for active or reserve duty in the war against Hamas following the October 7 massacre. According to The Jerusalem Post, 75 of these immigrants have enlisted in combat units, and 140 have been called up for reserve service throughout Israel.
The Jerusalem Post further reported that ‘Jerusaem-based non-profit Shavei Israel, founded by Michael Freund, aims to strengthen ties between Diaspora communities across the globe and the State of Israel. As per the nonprofit, they have been lobbying for the mass immigration of the Bnei Menashe community, which claims it is descended from one of the Lost Tribes of Israel, for over two decades in various capacities.’
We also found a report by News18 published on October 17, 2023. The report says, ‘There are around 900 Indian soldiers who have been deployed at the Israel-Lebanon border as part of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). The Indian troops in the UNIFIL are stationed at the 110-km-long ‘Blue Line’, which has witnessed fierce confrontations between Israel and Hezbollah forces in the past. Apart from the Israel-Lebanon border, there are also another 200 Indian soldiers deployed as part of the UN Disengagement Force (UNDOF) at Golan Heights between Israel and Syria.’
News 18 further reported, UNIFIL peacekeepers have been at the Lebanon border since Israel’s 1978 invasion. Around 900 Indian soldiers have been stationed there since then, along the Blue Line, a zone where conflicts between Israel and Hezbollah have increased. The main role of the Indian soldiers is to help keep peace between Israel and Lebanon. Right now, there are about 10,500 peacekeepers from 48 different countries at the border.
As of September 2, 2024, UNIFIL has 10,058 personnel from 48 countries, including India, China, France, Germany, and Brazil, contributing to the mission.
In conclusion, the claim that Indian soldiers are fighting alongside Israeli forces against Hamas is false. There is no evidence to support this. However, Indian soldiers, along with personnel from 48 other nations, are part of the UNIFIL mission, aimed at maintaining peace between Israel and Lebanon.
| Claim | Indian soldiers are fighting alongside Israeli forces |
| Claimed by | Paul William, Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl and others |
| Fact- Check | False |
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