A day after India voted to support the findings of the Goldstone report of alleged Israeli war crimes during the anti-terror Operation Cast Lead in Gaza, India’s ambassador paid a visit to the Kotel (Western Wall) and said he was moved by the location’s profound Jewish bond.
Navtej Singh Sarna, Indian Ambassador to Israel, and his wife visited the Kotel and its tunnels on Sunday. Following the tour, Sarna met with the Kotel Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitz, and told him that he was deeply moved by the Jewish people’s connection to the holy site.
However, Sarna said, the work to reveal the past, should take place in the area surrounding the wall and not on the Temple Mount.
Sarna revealed that he had wanted to visit the Kotel as soon as he arrived to assume the post of ambassador a year ago, but was prevented by the Mombai terrorist attacks in which the city’s Chabad center, its directors, and patrons were targeted. Coping with the disaster postponed the visit, he said.
In honor of soon completing one year as ambassador, Sarna said he requested to visit the holy site.
Disappointed with India
On Saturday, Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon voiced disappointed with India, as well as with Russia and China, for their support of the Goldstone Report at the recent U.N. Human Rights Council meeting on the subject.
"Israel is disappointed that Russia, India and China supported the report. They should have acted with greater discretion, as this unprofessional and distorted report, which denies democracies the right of self-defense, will harm them as well," said Ayalon in Holon. Israel intends to act through diplomatic channels to clarify the vote of these countries in the Human Rights Council, he added.
The Deputy Foreign Minister addressed a question about Israel's cooperation with Goldstone, saying said that, "although Israel did not officially cooperate with Goldstone, there was indirect cooperation in that Israel did not prevent the residents of Sderot from testifying before the mission. However, their testimony, as expected, was not included in the report."