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December 4, 2001
1828 IST

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Help stop violence: Palestinian envoy tells India

Basharat Peer in New Delhi .

The representative of the Palestinian National Authority in India, on Tuesday called on the international community to help stop the violence in West Asia and put the stalled peace process back in action.

"The International community, especially India, should help check Israeli aggression and bring the warring parties to the negotiating table. They should also ensure the implementation of the United Nations resolutions on Palestine," Palestinian ambassador Khaled El-Sheikh told rediff.com

The Palestinian representative said he would discuss with India the latest round of violence in West Asia, especially the Israeli strikes on PNA headquarters.

Describing the situation as a dangerous turning point, Sheikh said, "I am going to convey to the Indian leadership the seriousness of the situation and ask for help in checking the Israeli aggression."

India had condemned the weekend attacks on Israel by militant groups, but remained silent over the retaliatory strikes on PNA headquarters, which injured 17 people and destroyed three of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's helicopters.

India, an old ally of Palestine, had of late developed strong strategic and military ties with Israel.

"Despite New Delhi's silence over the attacks on PNA headquarters, the Indo-Palestinian relationship is strongly cemented. It is a historical relationship and Indian stand on Palestine has always been a principled one," he said.

On Washington's support to the Israeli strikes, he said that it would only anger the Arab states and complicated the matters, given the present American coalition against terrorism.

When asked about the failure of the Palestinian Authority to stop militant groups like Hamas from attacking Israeli civilians, he retorted, "Why doesn't the international community help in ending Israel's occupation of Palestine?"

Arguing that the Palestinian Authority had condemned the attacks on Israel, he said, "We have intensified our efforts to stop the killing of Israeli civilians."

But he added: "It must be understood that Israel's state terrorism is more dangerous than the terrorism of individuals or groups."

"Israeli aggression would not end the determination of the Palestinians to fight for freedom."

ALSO READ
West Asia peace process in tatters; 28 Israelis killed
Missiles slam West Bank, Gaza Strip; Arafat safe

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