NEW DELHI: Calling for an immediate de-escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian situation, India on Sunday urged both sides to exercise extreme restraint and refrain from taking any action to unilaterally change the status quo, including in East Jerusalem and its neighbourhood. The government condemned all acts of violence and destruction and called for resumption of dialogue.
Participating in a virtual UNSC meeting on the situation, India’s permanent representative to the UN T S Tirumurti reiterated strong support for the “just Palestinian cause” and unwavering commitment to the two-state solution.
“Immediate de-escalation is the need of the hour, so as to arrest any further slide towards the brink,” Tirumurti said.
India also condemned the “indiscriminate rocket firings from Gaza” targeting the civilian population in Israel, and also the retaliatory strikes into Gaza, saying these had caused immense suffering and resulted in deaths, including of women and children.
Despite its growing ties with Israel, India has been walking the diplomatic tightrope by expressing concern over possible Palestinian evictions in East Jerusalem. India was not among the 25 countries Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu thanked in a tweet for supporting Israel’s right to self-defence against “terrorist attacks”.
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