Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Thursday said India supports the establishment of a "sovereign, independent and viable" state of Palestine. Speaking at a press conference today, Bagchi said, "Our policy has been longstanding and consistent. India always advocated the resumption of direct negotiations towards establishing a sovereign, independent and viable state of Palestine, living within secure and recognised borders, side by side at peace with Israel. I think that position remains the same." When asked about the humanitarian situation in Israel and Gaza, Bagchi said that there was a universal obligation to observe humanitarian law. "There is also the responsibility to fight the menace of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations," he said. This is the first reaction from the MEA since the Israel-Hamas conflict began on October 7. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said India stands firmly with Israel in this hour of conflict.Blinken's assuranceMeanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reassured Israel in Tel Aviv on Wednesday (October 12) that the country will always have American support, promising they won't have to defend themselves alone as long as America exists.He visited Israel following Hamas's devastating attack in southern Israel, where over 1,300 people, mostly civilians, were killed. Blinken expressed horror at the casualties, referred to the Holocaust and his family's experiences during the Nazi era, and affirmed his active efforts to prevent the escalation of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.The Federal reports on the Israel-Hamas war Watch | Timeline: The Palestine-Israel conflict Explainer | What happened on October 6, 1973? Explainer | Why is Jerusalem key to both Judaism and Islam? Opinion | Israel’s real problem is not its legislation, laws or institutions
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Thursday said India supports the establishment of a "sovereign, independent and viable" state of Palestine. Speaking at a press conference today, Bagchi said, "Our policy has been longstanding and consistent. India always advocated the resumption of direct negotiations towards establishing a sovereign, independent and viable state of Palestine, living within secure and recognised borders, side by side at peace with Israel. I think that position remains the same." When asked about the humanitarian situation in Israel and Gaza, Bagchi said that there was a universal obligation to observe humanitarian law. "There is also the responsibility to fight the menace of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations," he said. This is the first reaction from the MEA since the Israel-Hamas conflict began on October 7. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said India stands firmly with Israel in this hour of conflict.Blinken's assuranceMeanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reassured Israel in Tel Aviv on Wednesday (October 12) that the country will always have American support, promising they won't have to defend themselves alone as long as America exists.He visited Israel following Hamas's devastating attack in southern Israel, where over 1,300 people, mostly civilians, were killed. Blinken expressed horror at the casualties, referred to the Holocaust and his family's experiences during the Nazi era, and affirmed his active efforts to prevent the escalation of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.The Federal reports on the Israel-Hamas war Watch | Timeline: The Palestine-Israel conflict Explainer | What happened on October 6, 1973? Explainer | Why is Jerusalem key to both Judaism and Islam? Opinion | Israel’s real problem is not its legislation, laws or institutions