'India closely following development on Israel-Palestine issue'
May 20, 2021
New Delhi [India], May 20 : India is closely following the development on the Israel-Palestine issue as the United Nations Security Council, in its fourth meeting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, has again failed to find consensus on a joint statement calling for a ceasefire.
"We are closely following development on the Israel-Palestine issue. We also expect to make a statement in UNGA when the issue comes up again," MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said while speaking at media briefing.
This comes as tensions between Israel and Palestine escalated as several hundred rockets were fired from Gaza, prompting Israeli forces to step up retaliatory airstrikes.
While on Wednesday, speaking over the border tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said India is closely following the situation and called upon the transgressing side to pull back forces and cease further provocation.
In an official statement, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India has always stood for a peaceful resolution of bilateral disputes through political and diplomatic means.
"We have been following, with concern, the situation along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. Border incursions through military movements can destabilize the situation and lead to renewed hostilities. We call upon the transgressing side to pull back forces immediately and cease any further provocation," he said.
TS Tirumurti, Ambassador of India to the UN on Tuesday expressed concern at the escalating violence between Israel and Palestine and urged both the sides to avoid changing the status quo on the ground.
Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting on the escalation in East Jerusalem and related events, Tirumurti said that he is deeply concerned about the clashes and violence in Haram Al Sharif/Temple Mount and evictions in Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighbourhoods.
"In UNSC meet on escalation in East #Jerusalem and related events, I said: Deeply concerned at clashes and violence in Haram Al Sharif/Temple Mount. Equally concerned about evictions in Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighbourhoods. Both sides to avoid changing status-quo on ground," he tweeted.
At least 212 Palestinians have died since the beginning of the fighting, 61 of them children. 42 Palestinians were reported killed on Sunday in the deadliest single strike since the violence erupted a week ago, as per Al Jazeera report.
Meanwhile, more than 3,000 rockets were fired from Gaza towards Israel in the escalating conflict, killing about 10 people in Israel, including two children and an Indian national.
Israel fired shells towards Lebanon in response to rocket launches on Monday. A Lebanese security source confirmed to Al Jazeera that Israel had fired 22 shells towards Lebanon, after it was reported that six rockets had been fired from south Lebanon.
