India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C10, successfully put the Israeli satellite Tecsar, earlier known as Polaris, into orbit. Tecsar, weighing 300 kg, is a remote-sensing satellite that can take pictures of the earth 365 days of the year, 24 hours of the day, through rain, clouds, day and night. It has a one-metre resolution. The new satellite is capable of imaging with a resolution of up to 10 centimetres. This was the 11th successful launch in a row for the trusty PSLV.
The launch was executed under a commercial contract between the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), to which belongs Tecsar, and the Antrix Corporation, marketing agency of the Department of Space. Antrix has received a handsome amount from the IAI for launching the satellite. Satellite builders from Israel were present at Sriharikota.
A report posted on the website of the leading Israeli daily Haaretz said that the launch of an Israeli satellite atop an Indian missile from a launch site in India bears a number of advantages for Israel. First, it enables Israel to establish a new point of view in space, allowing it photographic angles and reception of Iranian communications, which were unavailable in prior satellite launches. Further it would boost intelligence gathering capabilities regarding Iran.
Reporters and photographers were barred from entering the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota to cover the event. Israel reportedly wanted the launch kept under wraps.
The sinister design of Israel has been noted by the Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) which has charged the United Progressive Alliance government with “collaborating” with Israel and aiding Tel Aviv’s military efforts to track activities in Iran and the region by launching a spy satellite for that country. The party’s Polit Bureau also criticised the government for “maintaining a shameful silence” over the Israel’s “criminal” blockade of Gaza Strip.
“The UPA government should demand an end to the blockade of the Gaza strip forthwith. It should call for an urgent Security Council session to discuss the matter,” it said.
The blockade violated “all international and humanitarian norms. Israel was treating 1.5 million people of the Gaza Strip worse than a colonial power,” the party said. “The United Nations should immediately intervene and take steps to penalise Israel and see that the blockade is lifted,” the statement added.
Jamaat, IUML protests India’s participation in Tecsar launch
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Secretary General Nusrat Ali has expressed deep grief and surprise on launching of Israeli Spy Satellite Polaris (now known as Tecsar) by the ISRO. Considering UPA government’s action as “unwise” and “unreasonable,” he reminded the government that Israel is the biggest threat to peace in West Asia. “Israel is still engaged in atrocities on innocent Palestinians by blockading Ghaza Strip, and people were denied of basic necessities of livelihood; so cooperation with Israel means supporting aggression and terrorism,” Jamaat leader said in a statement on January 23.
“As media informed that the satellite would also be used to spy the nuclear centres and defence preparation of Iran, the UPA government’s stand to provide defence facilities for Israel amounts to damage the moral position and against non-alien foreign policy of the country,” he added, and warned the government to avoid such actions which not only exhibit its friendship with Israel and support its barbaric actions but would strain the relations with Muslim countries.
Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has also protested against India’s participation in the launch of Tecsar. “The growing Indo-Israeli relations are in defiance of the age old Indian support to Palestinians. They reflect deepening insensitivity to humanitarian concerns, as Israel is the worst occupying and occupation force perpetrating untold atrocities on Palestinians. It is also shocking that India participated in this launching of Israeli Spy Satellite which is heavily focused… against Iran with which India has age long friendly ties,” IUML president G.M. Banatwalla said in a statement on January 25.
The IUML laments that the Government of India has, on one hand, displayed total indifference to Israel’s blockade to Gaza stopping food, medicine, electricity and other essential supplies, and on the other, actively participated in adding to the military capabilities of Israel. Banatwalla urged the Government “to desist from relations with Zionist Israel” and urged it “to take all international initiatives to get Israeli blockade of Gaza ended.”