Israeli Ambassador Labels Pakistan Hosting Hamas as Disturbing After Pahalgam Terror Incident

New Delhi, April 24 (NationPress) Drawing parallels between the recent terror strike in Kashmir and the tragic events of October 7, 2023, at home, Israeli Ambassador to India Reuven Azar condemned the brutal terrorist attack on innocent civilians in Pahalgam, describing it as "barbaric" and "atrocious". He emphasized that the invitation extended to Hamas terrorists by Pakistan signals ominous developments ahead.

"This is an atrocious, barbaric attack. Individuals deserve the right to vacation without facing such horrific violence. This is shocking and entirely unacceptable. We must take every measure possible, not only to apprehend those responsible but to prevent future occurrences of this nature," Azar stated in an exclusive conversation with IANS.

Before the Pahalgam incident, the diplomat had voiced his apprehensions regarding reports of Hamas leaders meeting with members of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK).

"Terrorism cannot be tolerated, contextualized, or justified. The reality that terrorists are not merely hosted but welcomed by other groups is intolerable. The invitation of Hamas terrorists to Pakistan is a troubling indication of what lies ahead, as these terrorists are learning from and motivating each other. We must protect ourselves against them," he remarked on Thursday.

Pakistan’s association with terror groups aimed at instigating chaos in the region became evident when Hamas Commander Khaled al-Qaddoumi was seen alongside Pakistani terrorists during a rally in PoK this past February.

"There is a comparable situation where individuals attending a music festival were slaughtered, just as vacationers were massacred here. It reflects the same death cult, the same distorted religious interpretations, and the same supremacist ideologies - the misguided belief that by violating every principle of humanity, they will achieve something. This mindset must be eradicated entirely. That is why Israel has decisively targeted Hamas, and we will continue to do so while upholding our principles, laws, and values. I am confident that India will pursue a similar path," he asserted.

Promising to share intelligence, the Ambassador commended Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration for its "remarkable achievements" in stabilizing Jammu and Kashmir, noting that Israel could learn valuable lessons from India.

"I have faith in the Indian government to take necessary actions, as they possess the intelligence to understand the terrain and the nature of both the terrorists and their sponsors. I am genuinely pleased with the determination exhibited by Indian leadership, not just from the defense forces but also from the foreign policy establishment, the Prime Minister, and the entire leadership. This is a pivotal moment, and it is only natural for India to take a stand and declare enough is enough," the Israeli Ambassador expressed.

Azar insisted that the individuals responsible for the terror incident must be apprehended swiftly to ensure such events do not recur.

"All nations that support terrorism must be identified and isolated. We are experiencing a similar predicament in our region, where the Iranian regime backs terrorists. They have been exposed. We once attempted to conceal it and deny responsibility, but we have now laid bare the truth. I am pleased that India is doing the same," he concluded.