A delegation of 16 opposition leaders, including parliamentarians and politicians, met the Palestinian Ambassador in New Delhi and expressed solidarity with the Palestinians.
The delegation emphasised the need to step up efforts by the international community to arrive at a peaceful resolution.
“The international community must exert pressure on Israel to abide by international laws and respect the rights and dignity of the Palestinian people,” the delegation’s resolution read.
The resolution stated: “We strongly condemn the indiscriminate bombing of Palestinians in Gaza by Israel, which we believe amounts to an attempt to genocide. We urge an immediate cessation of all hostilities to prevent further loss of innocent lives and the destruction of homes and infrastructure.”
The delegation also urged the international community to recognize the establishment of an independent Palestine state along the 1967 borders in accordance with the UN resolution.
“Such recognition is a crucial step towards ensuring a just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestine conflict,” the delegation said in the resolution.
The delegation include former Union ministers Mani Shankar Aiyar and Srikant Kumar Jena, JD(U) spokesperson KC Tyagi, RJD leader and MP Manoj Jha, Samajwadi Party leader and MP Javed Ali Khan, BSP MP Kunwar Danish Ali, CPIML’s Dipankar Bhattacharya, JKANC’s Muzaffar Shah, former MP and RLD leader Shahid Siddiqui, CPI’s D. Raja, former MPs and CPI(M) leaders Subhashini Ali and Nilotpal Basu, forrmer MPs Santosh Bharti, Mohammad Adeeb and Mohammad Afzal and Nadeem Khan.
Read the full text of the statement:
We, the undersigned, believe that violence is never a solution as it leads to a cycle of destruction and suffering. Therefore we emphasise 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.
We express our deep concern regarding the ongoing crisis in Gaza and the suffering of the Palestinian people. We strongly condemn the indiscriminate bombing of Palestinians in Gaza by Israel, which we believe amounts to an attempt to genocide. We urge 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.
We strongly believe in the statement of Mahatma Gandhi, “Palestine belongs to the Arabs in the same sense that England belongs to the English or France to the French,” which reflects his belief in the importance of recognizing the sovereignty and territorial rights of the Palestinian people, just as any other nation’s right to their homeland.
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 recognize 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.
Signed,
Mani Shankar Aiyar (Former Minister)
Jena Srikanth (Former Minister)
K. C. Tyagi
Manoj Jha, M. P.
Javed Ali Khan, M. P.
Kunwar Danish Ali, M. P.
Dipankar Bhattacharya, CPI (ML)
Muzaffar Shah, JKANC
Shahid Siddiqui, M. P.
D. Raja, CPI
Subhashini Ali, Ex-MP CPM
Nilotpal Basu, Ex MP
Santosh Bharti, Ex MP
Mohammad Adeeb, Ex-MP
Mohammad Afzal, Ex-MP
Nadeem Khan
