India’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni on Wednesday stressed the need for a two-state solution for the Israeli-Filistine conflict, giving a statement at the high-level international conference on “peaceful solution of Palestine’s question and implementation of two-state solutions” in New York on Wednesday, and urged objective interaction and diplomacy to bring the sides together.
He highlighted the serious human situation in Gaza, where thousands of people have been killed and many others have been injured, medical facilities have been damaged or destroyed, and children have been deprived of schooling for more than 20 months.
Harish said that to preserve life is beyond any realm of politics and struggle. He reiterated the attitude of India that there should be an immediate ceasefire.
He said, “Human help is extremely important to maintain life and should be excluded from the realm of politics or struggle … India has also clarified its opinion on the steps to be taken in the short term – immediate ceasefire, continuous and uninterrupted humanitarian aid, the release of all the hostages, and the way of dialogue and diplomacy. There is no option other than these measures.”
He said, “We appreciate the efforts of all the friendly countries that have made such measures possible between the two sides.”
Ambassador Harish called for immediate attention to the Humanitarian Assistance column, so that without any obstruction or politicization, uninterrupted assistance flows including food, fuel and basic needs can be ensured.
He said, “Now our efforts should be focused on how to bring a two-state solution through purposeful negotiations and diplomacy, and the parties involved in the struggle should be brought into direct contact with each other … Humanitarian aid column demands our immediate attention and action.”
He said, “Human pain continues in Gaza. Thousands of people have been killed and many have been injured. Many medical facilities have been damaged or destroyed. Children have been deprived of schooling for more than 20 months. Humanitarian aid should flow without any obstruction.”
He said, “Palestinians in Gaza should get food, fuel and other essential items without any obstruction.”
India has given immediate ceasefire, constant humanitarian aid, release of all hostages, and dialogue and diplomacy the only practical way to move forward.
Ambassador Harish emphasized the need to advance India’s readiness and the need to move forward on the work-points that emerged from the conference to contribute to achieving practical solutions to bring concrete changes in the lives of Palestinians.
He said, “India has a strong desire for peace and stability in the Middle East. Permanent solutions are necessary. Some work-points are emerging from the conference. It is important to implement these.”
He said, “We should not only be satisfied with paper solutions, but should try to find practical solutions that really bring concrete changes in the daily life of our Palestinian brothers and sisters. India expresses its complete readiness to contribute to this noble effort.”
