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BIG STORY OCTOBER 27, 2023 | The Indian Eye 4

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR

INDIA’S

BALANCING ACT

After openly backing Israel, the Indian government reiterates

its support to its old policy on the Palestinian issue. As the Opposition pressures
the Modi government on this issue, what are India’s options?

OUR BUREAU
New Delhi/Tel Aviv/Ramallah
ith the war between Israel
and Hamas intensifying,
WPrime Minister Narendra
Modi spoke to the President of Pal-
estinian Authority Mahmoud Ab-
bas on Thursday and expressed his
condolences at the loss of lives at
Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza. Modi also
reaffirmed India’s commitment to
provide the Palestinian people with
humanitarian assistance while reiter-
ating India’s long-standing principled
position on the Israel-Palestine issue.
“Spoke to the President of the
Palestinian Authority H.E. Mah-
moud Abbas. Conveyed my condo- Activists of leftist organizations stage a protest against the Israeli attacks and in solidarity to Palestine in Hyderabad on Wednesday (ANI Photo)
lences at the loss of civilian lives at
the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza. We will always advocated the resumption of recovery of those injured. Civilian In India too, the Modi govern-
continue to send humanitarian as- direct negotiations towards estab- casualties in the ongoing conflict are ment is coming under pressure to
sistance for the Palestinian people,” lishing a sovereign, independent and a matter of serious and continuing take a more balanced and nuanced
posted PM Modi on X. viable state of Palestine living within concern. Those involved should be position than openly backing Israel.
PM Modi in his conversation secure and recognized borders side held responsible.” As the pressure grows, reacting to the
with Abbas also expressed his con- by side at peace with Israel. That po- An explosion at the hospital in opposition’s claim that Prime Minis-
cern at terrorism and violence amid sition remains the same,” he said. Gaza City on Tuesday claimed the ter Narendra Modi has taken a dif-
the ongoing war and also reiterated Modi on Wednesday condoled lives of hundreds of people. ferent stand on the Israel-Palestine
India’s position on the issue. “Shared the loss of lives in an explosion at As the Israel-Hamas war enters issue, Union Minister Giriraj Singh
our deep concern at the terrorism, a hospital in Gaza, saying he was its second week, global protests over clarified that the Prime Minister sup-
violence and deteriorating security “deeply shocked” by the incident. deadly strike at Gaza hospital con- ports the Palestine issue but do not
situation in the region. Reiterated Expressing concern over the mount- tinue with arrests of Jewish anti-war support “terrorists” like Hamas.
India’s long-standing principled po- ing civilian casualties in the ongoing demonstrators reported inside US “PM Modi is also supporting
sition on the Israel-Palestine issue,” Israel-Hamas conflict, the PM said Congress. The Palestinian Mission Palestine but we do not support ter-
PM Modi’s post added. that those behind such deaths should to the UN in Geneva has denounced rorists like Hamas,” Giriraj Singh
India has also now clarified its be “held responsible”. Israeli disinformation and propagan- said while speaking to reporters on
position on the Israeli-Palestinian Taking to his official handle da after the deadly Gaza hospital Wednesday.
conflict. Ministry of External Affairs on X, PM Modi posted, “Deeply explosion. At least 3,785 Palestinians Earlier, addressing a gathering
spokesperson Arindam Bagchi has shocked at the tragic loss of lives at killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza since of party workers in Mumbai, Nation-
said that India’s position concerning the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza. Our Hamas’s October 7 attack inside Is- al Congress Party (NCP) president
the Palestine issue has been “long- heartfelt condolences to the families rael, which killed more than 1,400 Sharad Pawar said that while all for-
standing and consistent”. “India has of the victims, and prayers for speedy people, CNN reported. Continued on next page... >>

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