Ahead of the 15th anniversary of the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai, Israel has listed the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) as a terror organisation.
A statement by the Embassy of Israel on the matter said that India did not make the request for the ban.
Ban on LeT
“The state of Israel has formally completed all necessary procedures and has satisfied all required checks and regulations to the result of introducing LeT into the Israeli list of illegal terror organisations,” the embassy said.
Israel called the Pakistan-based terror outfit a “deadly and reprehensible terror organisation, responsible for the murder of hundreds of Indian civilians as well as others.”
Embassy of Israel in India says, "To symbolize the marking of the 15th year of commemoration of the Mumbai terror attacks, the state of Israel has listed Lashkar -e- Taiba as a Terror Organization. Despite not being requested by the Government of India to do so, the state of… pic.twitter.com/bME1PVnlQG
— ANI (@ANI) November 21, 2023
The release said the LeT’s heinous actions on 26 November 2008 “still reverberate in force through all peace-seeking nations and societies.”
The statement mentioned, “The state of Israel offers its sincere condolences to all victims of terrorism and to the survivors and bereaved families of the Mumbai attacks, including those in Israel.”
“We stand with you, united in the hope for a better, peaceful future,” it added.
Not Requested by India
While mentioning that the Government of India did not request Israel to take the decision, the release said that Israel only lists terror organisations actively operating against it from within or around its borders or those globally recognised by the UN Security Council or the US State Department, in a manner similar to India.
Additionally, it mentioned that the Israeli ministries of defense and foreign affairs have jointly worked in the last few months “towards an expedited and extraordinary listing of the LeT organisation on this date to highlight the importance of a Unified Global Front in combating terrorism.”
Timing of Ban
The ban seeks to commemorate the upcoming anniversary of the 26/11 attacks in which 166 people were killed and another 238 were injured.
The 2008 Mumbai attacks were a series of terrorist attacks in which ten LeT members carried out 12 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks lasting four days across Mumbai.
The decision has come at a time when Israel has asked India to designate Hamas as a terrorist organisation, following the 7 October attacks on Israel, which led to the loss of 1,200 lives.
The retaliation by Israel following the attack has led to the loss of over 13,000 lives in Gaza, with over 5,600 children and 3,550 women among those killed.
India has attempted to take a balanced stance on the position, with its criticism of the Hamas attack and calls for the release of hostages.
Additionally, India has been providing aid to Gaza while reiterating its call for a ‘sovereign, independent, viable’ state of Palestine.