The ongoing Israel-Iran conflict has heightened tensions in the Middle East, plunging the already fragile region into warfare once again. Recent events escalated when Israel launched a ground offensive into Lebanon following the assassination of a prominent Hezbollah commander. Amid this turmoil, an old video of former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has resurfaced on social media, in which he discusses the Israel-Palestine conflict.
In the video, Vajpayee addresses a gathering, stating, “the land which is occupied by Israel, they will have to vacate that land,” referring to Palestinian territories. He clarifies that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) does not support Israel at the expense of Arab nations. “The Palestinians, their rightful rights should be established,” he continues, noting that both the Soviet Union and the United States have acknowledged Israel’s existence, and there must be a balanced solution for the Middle East that fosters stability and peace.
The recent military actions have resulted in significant casualties, with at least 46 people reported killed in an Israeli airstrike in central Beirut, according to Lebanese health officials. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the targeted attack aimed at dismantling Hezbollah bases in the capital, destroying over 150 Hezbollah-related infrastructure sites. This offensive comes after Iran launched a missile barrage at Israel, hitting an apartment building in Beirut, marking the closest strikes to Lebanon’s government seat.
This renewed conflict can be traced back to October 7 of last year when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, killing several and taking numerous hostages. Israel responded with extensive military operations in Hamas-controlled areas of the Gaza Strip, including a blockade to limit supplies, which continues to exacerbate the ongoing war.