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India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Jerusalem on an official visit to Israel. We think that this is an appropriate time to thank India for their support and acknowledge their role in the liberation of Jerusalem 100 years ago. This was at a time when, during World War I, great battles took place between good and evil. It was a time when the oppressive Ottoman Empire’s reign came to an end in Jerusalem after hundreds of years. Unfortunately, it would take another 50 years until the holy city was returned to the Jewish People as their capital, allowing it to be opened to peaceful people of all nations. This is all in stark contrast to the false claims of some that there was a mysterious “Palestinian Nation” in Israel prior to 1948 or 1967. The fact is, Jerusalem and Israel had been occupied by the Ottoman-Turks (not Muslims or Arabs) for hundreds of years before being put under British control by the League of Nations after World War I. In fact, at no time in history was there ever an independant nation or people called “Palestinian.” Trace back through history and you’ll see that Jerusalem was Israel’s capital city 3,000 years ago. It was then conquered and reconquered by many foreign nations. However, there was only one nation that ever claimed it as their capital – Israel. History and facts matter and no amount of repetition of lies by the “Palestinian Authority” or mainstream media can change the facts.
Illustrative Photo Credit: Library of Congress
REMEMBERING THE INDIAN SOLDIERS WHO HELPED LIBERATE JERUSALEM 100 YEARS AGO
Article Courtesy: JPost
Welcome Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and thank you for the sacrifices made by your country’s soldiers who saved the Jews of the Land of Israel 100 years ago and eventually led to the Jewish state’s creation.
An idyllic fenced park in the middle of the Talpiot neighborhood in Jerusalem, just a four-minute Waze-directed detour from Hebron Road. This cemetery, which I visited for the first time last week, is the burial site for 79 Indian soldiers who died here fighting for the liberation of Jerusalem in 1917. Another cemetery for the Indian soldiers is in Haifa.
More than a million Indian troops fought with the British Army in WWI, at the Western front in Europe, in Africa, Mesopotamia and the Middle East. On the Sinai-Palestine front, 95,000 Indian combatants served; approximately 10% were killed. In 1914-1918 period, they fought the Turkish-German armies at Gallipoli, the Suez Canal, through the Sinai and Palestine and finally Damascus, with crucial battles in Gaza, Jerusalem, Jaffa, Haifa, Nablus and Megiddo.
The Indian soldiers joined other troops in the Sinai-Palestine campaign from Australia, New Zealand, the West Indies, as well as the Jewish Legion. These auxiliary forces relieved British troops badly needed on the Western front in Europe.
Allenby’s respect for the Indian soldiers can be seen in his receiving their salute as they marched past him outside of Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem on December 11, 1917, when Allenby entered the city.
