I LOVE IT WHEN A PLAN COMES TOGETHER

The Jewish general who beat Pakistan (Amnon Barzilai, Haaretz, 9/6/04)

"A victory by the Congress Party under the leadership of Sonia Ghandi in the elections to be held in India in May will not lead to any change in India's policy toward Israel. The good relations will continue, and in certain area even grow deeper," assesses Lieutenant General J.F.R. Jacob, a former senior Indian army officer and a Jew, who yesterday completed a five-day visit to Israel. "If I had to rank the present-day level of relations between India and Israel," Jacob adds, "I would give them a 9 out of 10.". . .

Why is India interested in Israeli military technology?

"Because Israel's know-how and technology are very advanced. But also because countries like the United States and England are not as generous as Israel. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Israel has proved that it is happy to work together with India."

This is a big change, compared with the way things were before relations were established between the two countries.

"Actually, there is a long history to what is now happening. As early as 1962, during the war between India and China, prime minister Nehru appealed to prime minister David Ben-Gurion, asking him for military aid. Already then, Israel sent military equipment, mainly 120 mm. mortar rounds. It happened again in the war against Pakistan in 1965 and in the war in 1971: Israel supplied India with mortar rounds, even 160 mm. rounds. And Israel once again proved its generosity in the military conflict with Pakistan in 1999; on that occasion, it also assisted in supplying ammunition, even bombs meant for the Mirage jets of the Indian air force." . . .

Al-Qaida in Kashmir

In spite of the differences in size between India and Israel, there is a similarity in their geopolitical status. Both are surrounded by Muslim states, they have large Muslim minorities, and are threatened by Islamic terror. "India has no problem with Muslim countries," says Jacob. "It only has a problem with terror. And the trouble is that Pakistan has become an asylum for terror groups. The bin Laden people are active in Kashmir and we suspect that his people are active not only in Afghanistan but also in Pakistan. [Pakistani President] Musharraf claims Pakistan does not support terror, but it is turning out that it does not have the ability, or the means, to supervise the terror groups. And I don't know what the truth is."