PM Modi's stand on Hamas-Israel conflict seems different from MEA statement: Sharad Pawar

Sharad Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statements on the Hamas-Israel war seemed to convey a different position from the one articulated by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). He did not believe that the Indian government had sided 100 per cent with Israel, the former defence minister told reporters.

'The external affairs ministry's statement has established that India has always supported the Palestine cause, and we will continue (to do so), but we are against any organisation which is involved in (terror) attacks. But the prime minister's statement is that we are totally....he gave assurance to the (Israel) prime minister that we are with them,' the NCP chief said.

The Israel-Palestine issue is "serious and sensitive", and views of Muslim countries like Afghanistan, United Arab Emirates and other nations cannot be ignored, he said. 'This is for the first time that the head of the state has taken one position and his ministry another,' Pawar said. On Sunday, a day after Hamas launched its incursions, prime minister Modi expressed solidarity with Israel and condemned the "terrorist attacks'.

'Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour," Modi said. On October 10, Modi told his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu that people of India stand firmly with his country, expressing strong and unequivocal condemnation of terrorism in all its forms.

On Thursday, the MEA described the strikes by Hamas on Israeli cities as "terror attacks", but also reaffirmed India's long-standing position, advocating negotiations towards establishing a "sovereign, independent and viable" state of Palestine living side-by-side at peace with Israel.

MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at a media briefing that there was a universal obligation to observe international humanitarian law as also a global responsibility to fight the menace of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

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