'Unprecedented and intolerable': Congress on Israeli envoy-Priyanka Gandhi row

On Tuesday, reacting to Priyanka's statement, the envoy also highlighted that “Israel facilitated 2 million tonnes of food into Gaza while Hamas tries to sequestrate them, thereby creating hunger,” adding that Gaza’s population had “grown 450% in the last 50 years” and “no genocide there.”

A day after Israel’s ambassador to India Reuven Azar hit back at Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s allegations that Israel has been committing genocide in Palestine, Congress leaders Gaurav Gogoi and Pawan Khera condemned the envoy's remark.

In a long post on X, Khera slamming the envoy said his criticism of a sitting Member of Parliament is 'both unprecedented and intolerable'. Tagging Mr Jaishankar, the Congress leader demanded the Israeli diplomat's attempt to 'publicly intimidate' Priyanka Gandhi be shut down.

"That the Ambassador of a State accused of genocide worldwide would target a sitting Member of Parliament... is a direct affront to the dignity of Indian democracy," he said.

"Will Dr Jaishankar address the Israeli Ambassador's public attempt to intimidate Priyanka Gandhi? Or has freedom of speech in India now begun to be regulated from Israel?"

Khera also tagged Azar and slammed him for killing civilians in Gaza, 'including those queuing for aid'. "No amount of whitewashing or deflection can obscure the facts," he said.

On Tuesday, reacting to Priyanka's statement, the envoy also highlighted that “Israel facilitated 2 million tonnes of food into Gaza while Hamas tries to sequestrate them, thereby creating hunger,” adding that Gaza’s population had “grown 450% in the last 50 years” and “no genocide there.”

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has launched a scathing attack on Israel over its war on Palestinian group Hamas, accusing the Jewish nation of committing genocide in Gaza. Her claims drew a sharp rebuttal from Israel's ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, who said not to "buy Hamas numbers".

Vadra, the MP from Kerala's Wayanad, alleged on Tuesday that Israel killed over 60,000 people, including children, and starved "hundreds to death". She accused the Narendra Modi-led central government of being "silent" over what she called "genocide" by Israel.

"The Israeli state is committing genocide. It has murdered over 60,000 people, 18,430 of whom were children. It has starved hundreds to death, including many children, and is threatening to starve millions. Enabling these crimes by silence and inaction is a crime in itself. It is shameful that the Indian government stands silent as Israel unleashes this devastation on the people of Palestine," she tweeted.