Palestine has asked India to play a leading role in the negotiations with Israel for achieving its independence.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on a visit there, that India should play the role of a mediator in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, replacing United States who played the mediator role over the years. “Here we count on India, with its status as a great power, its historical role in the non-aligned movement and in international forums,” Abbas said.
It has been Palestine's dream to form an independent country including West Bank and Gaza Strip, with east Jerusalem as its capital.
Palestinian leadership has been looking for a powerful ally who could play a leading role in the negotiations since it formally declared not to accept the US as a mediator as Washington is 'completely biased' towards Tel Aviv. Palestine rejected US mediation soon after President Donald Trump declared the US recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December and ordered a relocation of American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
The Trump administration's policy change on Jerusalem was received with severe criticism in the region. Along with 127 other countries, India voted in favour of a UN General Assembly resolution asking the US to withdraw its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
Trump administration, in the following month, toughened its stand by announcing that it would deny $65 million out of the $125 million aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
Abbas soon turned to India to broker a partition deal after his requests to Europe and the Arab world failed to find proper response.
India has always played a leading role in the pro-Palestinian Non-Aligned Movement. Though traditionally a supporter of the Palestinian cause, India has recently enhanced friendly ties with Israel. It has strengthened diplomatic and defence ties with Israel since Modi came to power. In July 2017, Modi became the first Indian prime minister to visit Israel. In January, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid a six-day visit to India.
"Palestinian interests have always got our support and remained at the top in our foreign policy," Modi said during a joint press conference with Abbas, after arriving in Ramallah from Jordan, flying on Jordanian helicopter, guarded by Israeli helicopters.
And Palestine sees this as an opportunity rather than a threat. Palestine leadership identifies India to be the new mediator in place of the United States.
Palestine evaluates that India being “an international force of great prestige and weight” is better placed to play a vital role in the region. In December, when India protested against Palestinian envoy’s participation at an anti-US rally in Rawalpindi addressed by Hafiz Saeed – accused in the 2008 Mumbai attacks – Palestine government immediately recalled its Ambassador.
Reiterating the US stand on the holy city, President Trump told Israel Hayom newspaper: "I wanted to make it clear that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel." He declined to comment on a time frame to settle the boundary issue saying that both Israel and Palestine were not committed to peace. "As for specific boundaries, I would support what both sides agreed to,” Trump said.
Palestinian leadership sees India's friendly ties with the US an added advantage since Washington, too, would welcome India playing a greater role in the region.
