India has expressed deep concern over the ongoing Israel-Palestine crisis, highlighting the far-reaching consequences of the violence for the West Asian region. In a speech delivered at the NAM Ministerial Meeting on Palestine in Kampala, Uganda, Minister of State for External Affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh reiterated India’s long-standing position on the conflict, emphasizing the need for a negotiated Two-State solution.
Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza
The current crisis began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, prompting a severe response from the Israeli military. The situation has since escalated, resulting in a large-scale humanitarian crisis in Gaza. India has been closely following developments in the region and has called for an immediate end to the violence.
In his speech, Mr. Singh emphasized the importance of addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, welcoming efforts by the international community to provide aid to the affected population. He also expressed hope that UN Security Council Resolution 2720 would help facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
India has been actively engaged in promoting a peaceful resolution to the conflict, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi being in constant touch with stakeholders across the region. Mr. Singh reiterated India’s support for a negotiated Two-State solution, which would lead to the establishment of a sovereign, independent, and viable State of Palestine living within secure and recognized borders, side-by-side in peace with Israel.
Israel-Palestine conflict
The Minister emphasized that the crisis had highlighted the need for direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians to resume immediately. India welcomes all efforts by regional and global players aimed at restoring normalcy to the region.
The Israel-Palestine conflict has been a longstanding issue, with the two sides having been engaged in on-again, off-again negotiations for decades. The conflict has its roots in the early 20th century, when Jewish immigrants began to move to Palestine, then under Ottoman rule, and later under British rule after World War I. The Jewish population in the area grew, leading to tensions with the Arab population, who had been living there for centuries.
In 1948, the State of Israel was established, leading to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, known as the Nakba or catastrophe in Arabic, and the start of a long and complex conflict that continues to this day. There have been numerous attempts at peace negotiations, but a final resolution has yet to be reached.
India’s Visit to Israel
India has consistently supported the Palestinian cause, and has called for a peaceful resolution to the conflict based on the principles of justice, equality, and human rights. India’s position is based on its own experiences as a diverse and pluralistic society, where people of all religions, ethnicities, and backgrounds coexist peacefully.
In recent years, India has strengthened its relations with both Israel and Palestine, and has sought to play a constructive role in promoting peace in the region. In 2017, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Israel, becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to do so. During his visit, Modi reiterated India’s support for a Two-State solution and called for an end to the violence.
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In 2018, India also voted in favor of a UN General Assembly resolution that rejected the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. India’s vote was seen as a reaffirmation of its commitment to the Palestinian cause and its support for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
The ongoing crisis in Gaza has highlighted the urgent need for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. The humanitarian situation in the region is dire, with thousands of people displaced, injured, or killed. The international community has called for an immediate end to the violence, and India has joined the chorus of voices urging restraint and a return to negotiations.
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