Srinagar: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday condemned Israel’s military operations in the region, saying the country has turned both Palestine and Lebanon into gas chambers.
In an interview, Mufti also called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the “biggest terrorist after Adolf Hitler”.
“Hitler set up gas chambers to kill people but Netanyahu has turned Palestine and Lebanon into gas chambers where they are killing people in thousands,” she said.
Noting that the International Criminal Court has given a verdict against Netanyahu, Mufti said there has not been enough condemnation of his actions in Palestine and Lebanon.
The former chief minister also criticised India’s relations with Israel, saying the country has stood by Palestine since the times of Mahatma Gandhi.
“We have stood by Palestine since the times of Mahatma Gandhi. Having ties with a regime and supplying weapons and drones that are being used to kill people, I think, is a wrong decision,” she said.
Earlier, Mufti’s tweet terming Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah as a martyr had drawn sharp reactions from the BJP. Asked about it, the PDP chief said the saffron party should look at the “outpouring” in the country against the killing.
“What do they (BJP) know about the long struggle of Nasrallah for the people of Palestine? They should see how many people are coming out in Kashmir, Lucknow, and other parts of the country and raising slogans for the martyr. They should realise how wrong their thinking is,” she said.
Jammu and Kashmir, where assembly elections are underway, has been witnessing protests against the killing of Nasarallah in an Israeli strike, with hundreds of people taking to the streets in Srinagar and Budgam.
On Sunday evening, Lucknow also witnessed anti-Israel protests with scores of people, holding portraits of Nasarallah, staging demonstrations between Chhota Imambara and Bada Imambara.