NEW DELHI: India pushed for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict and dialogue and diplomacy aimed at finding a two-state solution at the first meeting in Riyadh of a global alliance to press for the establishment of a Palestinian state.
India was represented at the meeting, hosted by Saudi Arabia on October 30-31, by its ambassador to Riyadh, Suhel Khan. Saudi foreign minister Faisal bin Farhan described the meeting as “the first step among several steps with the participation of 90 countries”.
The Indian envoy, while attending the meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, “reiterated India’s strong support for ceasefire, de-escalation & dialogue & diplomacy leading to two-state solution”, the Indian embassy said in a post on X.
Since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict, India has condemned the terrorist attacks that triggered the fighting while pushing for a ceasefire, the release of all hostages taken by Hamas, the resumption of unfettered humanitarian aid, and a return to dialogue and diplomacy that leads to a two-state solution.
In recent weeks, India has urged for restraint by all players involved in the conflict and for de-escalation of tensions, especially after Israel began targeting southern Lebanon and carried out strikes on Iran.
India has watched the escalation in fighting and tensions with growing concern as nine million Indian expatriates live in West Asia, with most of them concentrated in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The conflict has also affected maritime trade passing through regional waters.
Nearly 43,100 people have been killed in Gaza in Israeli attacks, which have also displaced almost the whole population of the region amid a blockade that has resulted in severe shortages of food, water and medicines.
The Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution was launched by Saudi Arabia in September. During his address at the start of the two-day meeting, Saudi foreign minister Faisal bin Farhan said: “The establishment of a Palestinian state is the kingdom’s condition for moving forward with normalisation with Israel.”
The escalation of violence in Palestine and Lebanon and the expansion of the conflict requires a firm stance from the world community to end “violations that undermine the chances of a two-state solution and push the region towards more instability”, he said.