Palestinian Authority backs India's UNSC bid in hopes of furthering peace in the region
“We believe India has a very heavy political weight. We look for India to utilize its heavy political weight to push forward the peace process”
The Palestinian Authority has thrown its support behind India’s bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.
Palestinian Authority Ambassador to India Abdullah Abu Shawesh made the comments Tuesday at a press conference at the Palestinian Embassy in New Delhi, following a series of diplomatic meetings between Indian and Palestinian officials.
“One of our appeals as a southern country was to have India at least be one of the countries that deserves to have a permanent seat in the Security Council,” Shawesh said, highlighting India’s position among countries of the Global South.
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Shawesh also pointed to India’s relationship with Israel and its longstanding ties with the Palestinians as reasons why New Delhi could play an important diplomatic role.
“We believe India has a very heavy political weight,” Shawesh said. “We look for India to utilize its heavy political weight to push forward the peace process.”
The remarks came after Indian External Affairs Minister Sripriya Ranganathan met with senior Palestinian officials, including Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, as part of ongoing bilateral engagement between New Delhi and Ramallah.
India has maintained longstanding political and development ties with the Palestinians. New Delhi recognized the Palestine Liberation Organization in the 1970s and the State of Palestine in 1988, and has provided the Palestinian Authority with development and budgetary assistance. India is also finalizing construction of a hospital in Jenin, a project first promised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his 2017 visit.
At the same time, India has developed significantly closer ties with Israel over the past decade. Under Modi, New Delhi and Jerusalem have expanded cooperation in defense, technology, agriculture, trade and other areas. Modi’s government has also sought to maintain its support for the Palestinians while deepening its strategic partnership with Israel.
Ahead of Israel’s upcoming elections in October, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu facing a competitive political environment. Strengthening ties with India has been a significant element of Netanyahu’s foreign-policy agenda, as Israel has sought to expand its partnerships beyond its traditional Western allies.