Narendra Modi Reiterates India's Principle Position On Palestine, Here Is What It Is
Nearly two weeks after the deadliest conflict between Israel and Palestine in recent memory broke out, killing thousands of civilians on both sides, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday spoke to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and assured him that New Delhi will continue to send humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people.
What Modi told Abbas
PM Modi also conveyed his condolences over the deaths of around 500 civilians in an explosion at the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza on Tuesday.
Palestinian authorities blamed Israeli air strikes for the explosion at the hospital, while Israel said it was caused by a misfired rocket launched from Gaza by the militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Where India stands on Israel-Hamas war
The Prime Minister also shared with Abbas India's "deep concern" over terrorism, violence, and the deteriorating security situation in the region.
"Spoke to the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas. Conveyed my condolences at the loss of civilian lives at the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza," Modi said on X.
"We will continue to send humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people. Shared our deep concern at the terrorism, violence and deteriorating security situation in the region," he said.
"Reiterated India's long-standing principled position on the Israel-Palestine issue," the prime minister added.
How India-Palestine relations developed??
Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that in the telephonic conversation with Abbas, PM Modi reaffirmed India's unwavering support for peace based on international law and expressed his solidarity with the Palestinian people during these trying times.
He emphasised the importance of returning to negotiations and dialogues to achieve a lasting peace in the region, it said.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi has said that India's position concerning the Palestine issue has been "longstanding and consistent".
"India has always advocated the resumption of direct negotiations towards establishing a sovereign, independent and viable state of Palestine living within secure and recognised borders side by side at peace with Israel. That position remains the same," he said.
According to the MEA, India's support for the Palestinian cause is integral to the nation's foreign policy.
In 1974, India became the first non-Arab state to recognise the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.
In 1988, India became one of the first countries to recognise the Palestinian State.?In 1996, India opened its Representative Office in Gaza, which was later shifted to Ramallah in 2003.
What India has done for?Palestinian people?
Apart from the strong political support to the Palestinian cause at bilateral and international levels, India has extended various forms of economic assistance to the Palestinian?people.?
The government of India supported the construction of the Jawaharlal Nehru Library at the Al Azhar University in Gaza City and the Mahatma Gandhi Library-cum-student activity centre at the Palestine Technical College in Deir al-Balah, Gaza.
India also financed the construction of two schools in Palestine in 2015, the Jawaharlal Nehru Secondary School for Boys in Abu Dees and Jawaharlal Nehru Secondary School for Girls in Ashira Al-Shamaliya.
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