Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel in New York on Sunday. The meeting between the two leaders comes as the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza continues for a year. The Prime Minister expressed “deep concern” over the humanitarian situation in Gaza and reiterated India’s continued support to the Palestinian people.
A statement from the Ministry of External Affairs said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with the President of Palestine, His Excellency Mahmoud Abbas on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. The Prime Minister expressed deep concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza and expressed India’s deep concern for the Palestinian people Continuing support.”
The Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement further said, “The Prime Minister reiterated India’s time-tested principled position on the Palestinian-Israeli issue and called for a ceasefire, release of hostages and return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy.” He stressed that only a two-state solution can be achieved in the region lasting peace and stability. Prime Minister Modi reminded that India was one of the first countries to recognize Palestine and reiterated India’s continued support for Palestine’s accession to the United Nations.
During the meeting, the two leaders held constructive discussions on various aspects of India-Pakistan bilateral relations, including India’s support to Palestine at the United Nations and India’s continued assistance and support to Palestine in education, health and other capacity-building areas. The two leaders reiterated their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations between India and Pakistan.
