Israel and the Palestinian authorities have sought India`s mediation in ending violence and establishing peace in strife-torn Gaza Strip and West Bank, External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh said on Tuesday night. “Representatives of Palestinian National Authority and the Israeli Prime Minister (Ehud Barak) have urged India to mediate,” Singh told a television channel. “India should not mediate just for the sake of mediation, but should try really hard to establish permanent peace between the people of Israel and Palestine. We have to see what concrete role we can play,” he said.
Towards this end, “we should either directly talk with Israel or hold discussion with the Arab nations or speak with the United States which is already mediating,” the Minister said. Earlier in the day, Palestinian ambassador Khalid El-Sheikh said India could play an active role in resolving the present conflict in West Asia and described as ‘unfortunate’ External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh postponing his visit to Saudi Arabia. Describing the situation in West Asia as ‘tragic’ with a large number of young people being killed, he told BJP president Bangaru Laxman that “Palestine has always been appreciative of Indian support and is aware of the friendship of India” with his country.

He said that not only Palestine but the entire West Asia region was at a turning point which was felt globally with oil prices going up and share markets on a downward slide.

Bureau Report