Israel continued its barrage of Gaza overnight, as multiple strikes crashed into buildings.
Credit: Reuters Photo
New Delhi: A group of MPs, former MPs and leaders of various Opposition parties on Monday met Palestinian Ambassador Adnan Abu Alhaija here to express solidarity and support while demanding the international community to recognise the establishment of an "independent Palestinian State".
The leaders presented a joint resolution signed by 16 of them to the Ambassador saying they believe that violence is never a solution as it leads to a cycle of destruction and suffering. They emphasised the need for increased efforts by the international community in bringing about a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
"The international community must exert pressure on the state of Israel to abide by international laws and respect the rights and dignity of the Palestinian people. We call for intensified diplomatic efforts and multilateral initiatives to ensure a lasting peace in the region," the leaders said.
The joint resolution was signed by Congress' Mani Shankar Aiyar, RJD's Manoj K Jha, CPI's D Raja, CPI(ML)'s Dipankar Bhattacharya, CPI(M)'s Subhashini Ali and Nilotpal Basu, SP's Javed Ali Khan, JD(U)'s KC Tyagi and BSP's Danish Ali among others.
"Recognising that the Palestinian people have endured immeasurable suffering for over 75 years, we firmly assert that now is the time to end their plight. We urge the international community to recognise the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders in accordance with the UN resolutions. Such recognition is a crucial step towards ensuring a just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, providing the Palestinian people with the opportunity to determine their own destiny and live in peace and security," the resolution said.
Expressing deep concern regarding the ongoing crisis in Gaza and the suffering of the Palestinian people, the resolution urged an immediate cessation of all hostilities to prevent further loss of innocent lives and the destruction of homes and infrastructure.
"Furthermore, we call for urgent and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. The dire humanitarian situation demands immediate attention and action. All necessary measures must be taken to ensure that essential supplies, including food, water, and medical aid, reach the affected population without hindrance," it said.
The leaders recalled Mahatma Gandhi's remarks that "Palestine belongs to the Arabs in the same sense that England belongs to the English or France to the French" and said that it reflected his belief in the importance of recognising the sovereignty and territorial rights of the Palestinian people, just as any other nation's right to their homeland.