Close X
Sunday, November 10, 2024
ADVT 
India

India always advocated direct negotiations between Palestine and Israel: MEA

Darpan News Desk IANS, 12 Oct, 2023 05:40 PM
  • India always advocated direct negotiations between Palestine and Israel: MEA

New Delhi, Oct 12 (IANS) India on Thursday made it clear that in case of Palestine, it has always advocated resumption of direct negotiations for its peaceful coexistence with Israel, even as it sees the conflict in Israel as a terror attack.

"We have been very clear that we see it as a terrorist attack. As far as Palestine is concerned, India has advocated the resumption of direct negotiations towards establishing the sovereign, independent and viable state of Palestine living within secure and recognised border side by side with Israel," said External Affairs Ministry spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi.

Addressing a flurry of questions on the Israel-Palestine conflict, which got escalated last week after the Hamas group launched rocket attacks on Tel Aviv, Bagchi said that government's prime focus is to bring back 18,000 Indians stuck there.

"Our focus is to bring back Indians who want to come out of Israel. There are 18,000 Indians there, including students," he said, informing that the government has launched Operation Ajay to bring back Indian citizens from war-torn Israel.

"Yesterday, Operation Ajay was launched to facilitate our citizens who wish to come back. The first flight will reach Tel Aviv tonight and is likely to reach India tomorrow (Friday) with 230 people," Bagchi informed.

The spokesperson also informed that there are no casualties among Indians stuck in Israel, though one person has been injured.

"We are aware of one Indian who was injured. The person is in hospital. Thankfully, we have not heard of any Indian casualty," he informed. 

To questions on Indians stuck in Palestine, Bagchi said, "My understanding is that about a dozen-odd people are there in West Bank while 3-4 people are there in Gaza. The number is very small. Mostly, we have received requests (to rescue) from Israel."

Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force has kept its aircraft on stand-by in case there is a requirement to bring back Indian citizens from Israel, reports quoting IAF officials said. 

The IAF transport aircraft fleet includes the C-17 and IL-76 heavy-lift transport planes along with the C-130J Super Hercules Special Operations aircraft which have been used in the past for such evacuation operations, they added.

Replying to questions on reports saying that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is learnt to have met his Canadian counterpart, Bagchi said, "We have been in touch with Canadians at various levels, but we do not have any specific information regarding any particular interaction."

To a question on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau raising the issue of his country's relations with India with other world leaders, Bagchi said, "We don't know really how will it help address the core issue of Canada giving space to terrorists and criminal elements.

"We would urge Canada to take more seriously their international obligations to provide security to our diplomats in their premises."

MORE India ARTICLES

Punjab seeks norms relaxation to assist flood-hit

Punjab seeks norms relaxation to assist flood-hit
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has already written a letter to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, saying there is no shortfall in the state disaster relief funds to compensate the victims, and only a change in the norms for compensating the damage is required so that the loss of people can be fully compensated.  

Punjab seeks norms relaxation to assist flood-hit

'Violence in Manipur unpardonable', says PM Modi; calls INDIA 'Ghamandiya Gathbandhan'

'Violence in Manipur unpardonable', says PM Modi; calls INDIA 'Ghamandiya Gathbandhan'
In his more than two-hour long reply to the no-confidence motion, the Prime Minister gave an assurance that peace will prevail in Manipur, and that it will march forward on the path of development. The BJP-ruled state government in Manipur has been trying to resolve the situation prevailing there for the past six years and the efforts will continue in the future too. 

'Violence in Manipur unpardonable', says PM Modi; calls INDIA 'Ghamandiya Gathbandhan'

Fake call centre cheating US citizens busted in Goa

Fake call centre cheating US citizens busted in Goa
The accused persons were directing the victims to pay processing fee/security deposit through online options such as Google Pay gift card, Apple Pay gift card, Walmart gift card and Target gift card.  

Fake call centre cheating US citizens busted in Goa

Smriti Irani slams Rahul Gandhi over his alleged gesture of flying kiss

Smriti Irani slams Rahul Gandhi over his alleged gesture of flying kiss
“Never before has the misogynistic behaviour of a man been so visible in Parliament as what was done by Rahul Gandhi today. When the House of the people, where laws are made to protect the dignity of women, during the course of a session stands witness to a man's misogyny, my question is should he be brought to task?” Irani told reporters here

Smriti Irani slams Rahul Gandhi over his alleged gesture of flying kiss

Manipur unrest: ITLF delegation meets Amit Shah

Manipur unrest: ITLF delegation meets Amit Shah
During the meeting, Shah assured that the deployment of the Central forces in the state will be further strengthened and reoriented to plug vulnerable gap areas, the statement said.  The Home Minister also assured that necessary arrangements will also be made to facilitate transportation and identification of dead bodies, it claimed.     

Manipur unrest: ITLF delegation meets Amit Shah

Four suspected members of Bambiha gang held in Punjab

Four suspected members of Bambiha gang held in Punjab
The criminals opened fire on police and in self-defence, the police party fired back, resulting in the accused sustaining gunshot injuries, he said. Three other criminals were arrested along with three pistols and 20 cartridges and a snatched car.  

Four suspected members of Bambiha gang held in Punjab