India should show greater determination in UNSC for peace between Israel, Palestine: Congress
New Delhi: Amid continued violence between Israel and Palestine and a growing number of casualties, the Congress on Wednesday said India must use its good offices as a member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) with greater determination and persuasion to bring about peace in the region. "Both parties must abjure violence and return to peace negotiations, there being no other path to a meaningful, peaceful co-existence of Israel and Palestine," the Congress said in a statement.
"The Congress party expresses its satisfaction at the balanced position of the government of India, urging the immediate cessation of hostilities, but would urge the government to use its good offices as a member of the Security Council with greater determination and persuasion," it added. On Palestine-Israel's continuing spiral of violence, the AICC Foreign Affairs Department has already issued a statement on May 14. "India's historic position in support of the two-State solutions with appropriate recognition of East Jerusalem as the capital of independent Palestine must indeed be underscored. It is sad that the intrusion by Israeli forces into the Holy Al Aqsa mosque during Ramzan prayers ruptured the delicate peace in the region," the statement read.
"Whilst the rocket attacks by the Hamas cannot be condoned despite any provocation, at the same time the disproportionate retaliation by a much stronger, organised military is unacceptable, particularly in view of civilian casualties including many women and children. Attack on media offices undermines the first principles of free flow of information. Amongst the casualties in Israel was the tragic loss of an Indian citizen from Kerala, Soumya Santosh, a serving nurse, a matter of national mourning for all Indians," it added.
