‘They failed to gain goodwill of Arabs’: What Nehru wrote to Einstein on creation of Israel

The Congress on Thursday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, calling it an “unabashed defence of his host,” Benjamin Netanyahu.

In a social media post, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also recalled the events surrounding India’s recognition of Israel. Modi, in his speech, had noted that he was born on the same day India officially recognised Israel and described the Gaza Peace Initiative as a pathway to a “just and durable peace” in the region.

“In his address to the Knesset yesterday—which was an unabashed defence of his host—Prime Minister Modi highlighted that India recognised the new state of Israel on the day he was born,” Ramesh wrote on X.

Ramesh further pointed out that Albert Einstein had written to Jawaharlal Nehru on June 13, 1947, regarding the creation of Israel, and shared Nehru’s reply dated July 11, 1947. He also noted that the two leaders met at Einstein’s home in Princeton on November 5, 1949. 

Einstein was later offered the Presidency of Israel in November 1952, which he declined. Ramesh noted that shortly before his death in April 1955, Einstein and Nehru exchanged letters on the issue of nuclear weapons.

In his reply to Einstein, Nehru expressed sympathy for both Jews and Arabs, acknowledging Jewish achievements in Palestine while also recognising the difficulties faced by Arabs. He wrote:

"I confess that while I have a very great deal of sympathy for the Jews, I feel sympathy for the Arabs also in their predicament. In any event, the whole issue has become one of high emotion and deep passion on both sides."

 

"I have paid a good deal of attention to this problem of Palestine and have read books and pamphlets on the subject issued on either side; yet I cannot say that I know all about it, or that I am competent to pass a final opinion as to what should be done. I know that the Jews have done a wonderful piece of work in Palestine and have raised the standards of the people there, but one question troubles me. After all these remarkable achievements, why have they failed to gain the goodwill of the Arabs?"

 

"Why do they want to compel the Arabs to submit against their will to certain demands? The way of approach has been one which does not lead to a settlement, but rather to the continuation of the conflict. I have no doubt that the fault is not confined to one party but that all have erred."