The tales of Palestine and Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) are starkly similar — both are symbolic of decades-old illegal occupations characterized by brutal repression, demographic engineering, and a blatant disregard for international law. At the core of these conflicts lies a shared tragedy: the subjugation of indigenous Muslim-majority populations by state apparatuses steeped in exclusionary ideologies — Zionism in Israel and Hindutva in India.
Historical Context and Occupation
The Israeli occupation of the West Bank began on June 7, 1967, during the Six-Day War, marking the start of systematic land annexation and the dispossession of Palestinians. Similarly, India occupied Jammu and Kashmir on October 27, 1947, under the pretext of accession during the Partition of the subcontinent. Both regions have since witnessed the systematic erosion of autonomy. Israel continues to entrench its hold over Palestinian territories, while India, under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, unilaterally abrogated Article 370 of its constitution on August 5, 2019, stripping IIOJK of its special status and bifurcating it into two Union Territories.
These acts were not merely administrative; they marked the escalation of demographic and cultural re-engineering in both territories. For Palestinians, the 2005 construction projects in East Jerusalem’s Har Homa symbolized an expansionist agenda. In IIOJK, the proposal to transfer forest land to the Amarnath Shrine Board in 2008 sparked fears of “land grab” and “demographic terrorism.” This triggered a Kashmiri intifada, with parallels to Palestinian resistance against Israeli settlements.
Demographic Engineering: A Common Playbook
Both India and Israel employ similar strategies to alter the demographic fabric of occupied regions. India’s post-2019 domicile laws, allowing non-Kashmiris to settle in IIOJK, mirror Israeli efforts to establish Jewish-only settlements in the West Bank. The issuance of over 1.85 million domicile certificates to non-Kashmiris threatens to transform IIOJK from a Muslim-majority region to a minority-controlled territory.
Israel’s land annexation in the Jordan Valley and the Golan Heights and India’s absorption of IIOJK serve the same purpose: establishing irreversible facts on the ground. These policies violate international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits an occupying power from transferring its population into occupied territories. Both nations, however, remain encouraged by support from powerful allies, particularly the United States.
Ideological Foundations: Zionism and Hindutva
The ideological underpinnings of these occupations are disturbingly similar. Zionism aims to create a “Greater Israel,” while Hindutva envisions an “Akhand Bharat” — a Hindu-dominated India extending across South Asia. Both ideologies justify expansionism and exclusion under the guise of historical entitlement. The ruling Likud Party in Israel and India’s BJP share hyper-nationalist, right-wing agendas that thrive on religious and ethnic chauvinism. Leaders like Benjamin Netanyahu and Narendra Modi derive electoral strength by stoking fears of the “other,” presenting occupation as a civilizational imperative.
Systematic Repression and Human Rights Violations
The methodologies employed by India and Israel to suppress dissent reflect chilling similarities. Arbitrary arrests, extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances, curfews, administrative detention, house demolitions, and restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly are routine in both IIOJK and Palestine. Sexual violence and torture are weaponized to crush resistance and instill fear among the oppressed populations.
In Gaza, the Israeli blockade has created one of the most densely populated open-air prisons in the world. At the same time, Kashmir has been transformed into a heavily militarized zone, with one Indian soldier for every nine civilians. Both territories endure collective punishment and systemic marginalization while the world watches in silence.
International Law and the Way Forward
Both Palestine and IIOJK stand as glaring reminders of the failure of the international community to enforce United Nations resolutions. Numerous UNSC resolutions call for the withdrawal of occupying forces and the self-determination of the people in these regions. However, geopolitical interests and strategic alliances have allowed both Israel and India to act with impunity.
The Simla Agreement in the case of IIOJK and various multilateral peace accords in the case of Palestine have been violated without consequence. For lasting peace, global powers must move beyond rhetoric and impose meaningful sanctions against occupiers. Failure to act risks encouraging other states to follow the same path of unlawful occupation and repression.
The parallels between Palestine and IIOJK underscore a grim reality: colonialism and imperialism are not relics of the past. In these regions, they thrive under the veneer of democracy and security concerns. For the oppressed populations of Palestine and IIOJK, resistance is not just a right; it is a necessity for survival. The world must recognize the shared struggle of these people and stand against the ideologies of hate and domination that fuel their oppression. Only then can we hope for a future rooted in justice, equality, and self-determination.
