Several Opposition leaders met Palestinian Ambassador Adnan Abu Alhaija on October 16 to express their concern for the Palestinian people and said that India should exercise its diplomatic influence to call for an immediate ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
The delegation included CPI general secretary D. Raja, CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, JD(U) leader K.C. Tyagi, Samajwadi Party leader Javed Ali Khan, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Nilotpal Basu, and Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar.
The delegation strongly condemned the “indiscriminate bombing of Palestinians in Gaza by Israel” and called for “urgent and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid” to the people of Gaza.
In a joint resolution, the leaders said that violence is “never a solution as it leads to a cycle of destruction and suffering.”
They called for increased efforts by the international community to bring about a peaceful resolution to the conflict. “The international community must exert pressure on the state of Israel to abide by international laws and respect the rights and dignity of the Palestinian people. We call for intensified diplomatic efforts and multilateral initiatives to ensure a lasting peace in the region,” the resolution said.