On the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the people of Palestine, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday reaffirmed India’s “unwavering support” to the Palestinian cause. PM Modi extended his wishes to the Palestinian people “in their journey to achieve statehood, peace and prosperity”.
“India’s ties with the friendly people of Palestine are rooted in our common history. We have always supported the Palestinian people in their pursuit of economic and social development with dignity and self-reliance,” PM Modi said in a statement.
Message of Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people.#IndiaPalestine @MEAIndia@IndiaUNNewYork@PalestinePMO@MofaPPD @pmofa @WAFANewsEnglish @palestinetv95 pic.twitter.com/21hqbcozsj
— India in Palestine – الهند في فلسطين (@ROIRamallah) November 29, 2022
Addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, PM Modi said he hoped “direct talks” between the two countries would resume “to find a comprehensive and negotiated solution”.
Highlighting the various initiatives launched by India to support Palestine over the years, PM Modi wrote: “India has been at the forefront of extending developmental assistance to Palestine over the years.”
India has long pushed for talks to resume between the two countries. Last year, India’s then permanent representative to the United Nations T S Tirumurti made a carefully crafted statement at the UN Security Council, which appeared to implicitly hold Israel responsible for triggering the cycle of violence in the region by locating its beginnings in East Jerusalem rather than from Gaza.
India’s policy on the conflict has evolved over the years — going from being unequivocally pro-Palestine for the first four decades, to a tense balancing act with its three-decade-old friendly ties with Israel. In recent years, India’s position has also been perceived as pro-Israel.
