Palestine to seek support of Indians: 

Palestine to seek support of Indians: 

Context:

• Palestine on Wednesday said India’s recent display of support has boosted the ongoing political reconciliation in the country.

Introduction:

• A senior Palestinian diplomat said the speech of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj at the Non-Alignment ministerial in New York encouraged the Palestinian cause, and said his country would seek support from all sections of Indians for protection of the Al Aqsa mosque.
• He highlighted that following internal reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas factions, the move for an independent Palestine will gain new momentum.
• During her speech, Ms. Swaraj had cited India’s traditional support for the rights of the Palestinian people and said, “For independent India, support for the Palestinian cause has been a reference point of its foreign policy.”

Positive contribution:

• In his speech at the UN delivered recently, President Mahmoud Abbas strongly urged the international community to pressure Israel for the implementation of the two-state solution, and pledged to give a chance to the peace plans of the U.S.
• He also indicated that Ramallah would begin a new outreach to all parts of India and in this respect a beginning would be made with two India-Palestine friendship societies to be inaugurated soon in Odisha and Punjab.