NEW DELHI: Ahead of the 15th anniversary of the Mumbai attacks, Israel banned the UN-proscribed, Pakistan based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) that carried out the attacks.
Despite not being requested by the government of India to do so, the Israeli embassy said in a statement, Israel had formally completed all necessary procedures and had “satisfied all required checks and regulations to the result of introducing Lashkar -e- Taiba into the Israeli list of illegal terror organizations”.
“To symbolise 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 organisation,” it said in a statement. Israel has been pushing India for a similar ban on Hamas whose assault on Israel on October 7 was condemned by India as a terrorist attack..
The 2008 Mumbai attacks saw LeT terrorists also targeting a Jewish centre and killing many of its occupants. With the ban, Israel is also hoping to address concerns in India that it has been focused more on Iranian “terrorism” without paying enough attention to cross-border terrorism as perpetrated by Pakistan. While Israel looks at Iran as the main source of global terrorism, India uses that characterisation only for Pakistan.
“While Israel only lists terror organizations who are actively operating against it from within or around its borders, or in a similar manner to India – those globally recognized by UNSC or the US state department, the Israeli ministries of Defense and Foreign affairs, have jointly worked in the last few months towards an expediated and extraordinary listing of the Lashkar -e- Taiba organization on this date, to highlight the importance of a Unified Global Front in combating terrorism,” said Israel in its announcement of the ban.
“Lashkar -e- Taiba is a deadly and reprehensible terror organization, responsible for the murder of hundreds of Indian civilians as well as others. Its heinous actions on November 26, 2008 still reverberate in force, through all peace seeking nations and societies,” it added, while offering 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 said.
Despite not being requested by the government of India to do so, the Israeli embassy said in a statement, Israel had formally completed all necessary procedures and had “satisfied all required checks and regulations to the result of introducing Lashkar -e- Taiba into the Israeli list of illegal terror organizations”.
“To symbolise 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 organisation,” it said in a statement. Israel has been pushing India for a similar ban on Hamas whose assault on Israel on October 7 was condemned by India as a terrorist attack..
The 2008 Mumbai attacks saw LeT terrorists also targeting a Jewish centre and killing many of its occupants. With the ban, Israel is also hoping to address concerns in India that it has been focused more on Iranian “terrorism” without paying enough attention to cross-border terrorism as perpetrated by Pakistan. While Israel looks at Iran as the main source of global terrorism, India uses that characterisation only for Pakistan.
“While Israel only lists terror organizations who are actively operating against it from within or around its borders, or in a similar manner to India – those globally recognized by UNSC or the US state department, the Israeli ministries of Defense and Foreign affairs, have jointly worked in the last few months towards an expediated and extraordinary listing of the Lashkar -e- Taiba organization on this date, to highlight the importance of a Unified Global Front in combating terrorism,” said Israel in its announcement of the ban.
“Lashkar -e- Taiba is a deadly and reprehensible terror organization, responsible for the murder of hundreds of Indian civilians as well as others. Its heinous actions on November 26, 2008 still reverberate in force, through all peace seeking nations and societies,” it added, while offering 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 said.
