India on Monday called for resuming dialogue between Israel and Palestine, hours after a fresh round of Israel’s attacks on Gaza ended in a ceasefire.
“After a year of relative calm, tensions have risen again in Gaza,” read the statement by India’s permanent representative Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj at the emergency United Nations Security Council meeting.
“It is a matter of grave concern that the violence has not completely subsided despite hectic diplomatic parleys, development initiatives and efforts by the international community to hold the fragile ceasefire negotiated last May,” he said.
The emergency meeting of the UN body was convened after three days of Israeli air raids on Palestine’s Gaza. At least 45 Palestinians, including several civilians and 16 children, were killed in the bombings that started last Friday.
India stressed that the United Nations and all member countries of the global body should work towards “…establishment of a sovereign, independent and viable state of Palestine living within secure and recognised borders, side by side, at peace with Israel, taking into consideration the legitimate security needs of Israel.”
