Palestine President Abbas writes to PM Modi, seeks support on Gaza: Ambassador Shawesh

Palestine Ambassador to India Abdallah M. Abu Shawesh has said that Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas has written a letter to PM Modi & sought support amid the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza. Speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal, Ambassador Shawesh said President in a 'clear, personal message to PM Modi, called him to use political pressure on Israel to free Palestine tax money, and use his leverage of good relations with Israel, so that humanitarian aid can enter Gaza'.

The ambassador spoke about India's 'political weight' and how it is 'champions of south-south cooperation..key player..' and pointed out how India has been " a supporter of Palestine cause. India maintains a Representative Office in Ramallah, offering scholarships and training programs, like ICCR scholarships for Palestinian students and ITEC courses. It has regularly provided financial aid, including to UNRWA for Palestinian refugees.

Sidhant Sibal: If you can give details of the current situation in Gaza?

Abdallah M. Abu Shawesh: The current situation is a miserable, devastating situation. Hunger is striking Gaza, many people have died due to hunger and starvation. The Israeli government, with the full support, of course, of the United States of America and many other western countries, has launched a war. It's not only the bombing, but also a starvation war. They have engineered a starvation war that they are launching, against the Palestinian people in Gaza. Approximately 1000 Palestinians died because they tried to approach so-called humanitarian aid, which was established by Israel. More than 80% of buildings in Gaza have been destroyed, 95% of people in Gaza are internally displaced, and many are living in plastic tents. Situation is inhumane.

Sidhant Sibal: What kind of support do you expect from India?

Abdallah M. Abu Shawesh: India is a very strong supporter to the Palestinian cause in the United Nations and in the Human Rights Council and other international, multilateral arenas. So that India used to be and still being a good supporter and strong supporter to the Palestinian people, but still in this miserable situation that we are enduring in Palestine, we still look to India because it is very heavy and very strong political weight. We are still looking to India to do more in this particular issue. We have already discussed this issue with the Minister of Foreign Affairs. We look to India to pressure Israel to stop withholding the Palestinian tax money, because the Israelis are withholding Palestinian tax money for more than three months. Of course, part of it is for more than many years. We are talking about $2 billion that is being withheld by the Israeli government. Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas in a clear message and a personal message to PM Narendra Modi, called him to use his political leverage, to pressure Israel to free the Palestinian tax money and also to use his leverage as a Prime Minister. Prime minister himself had a strong and very good relation with Israel that we look forward to utilizing for the benefit of the Palestinian people. President Abbas, in his letter, asked for using this leverage, of good relation with Israel, to make sure that humanitarian aid can enter Gaza. This will stop the starvation. I had discussed this issue also a few days ago with the Minister of Foreign Affairs. We called for India to provide a very important supplementary nutrition to the children, and use political pressure and good relations with Israel to make sure that this will enter Gaza. Because, again, we have thousands of loads of trucks sitting outside the border of Gaza that unfortunately the Israeli are not allowing it to enter. For example, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) itself is taking aid for Gaza, unfortunately, they are not able to take it to Gaza because of the Israeli blockade. We look forward to India using its heavy political weight, good relations with Israel. to put political pressure for the benefit of the Palestinian people.

Sidhant Sibal: The letter that was sent by the Palestinian side to the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. Is there a specific occasion that the letter was sent, or is it a general outreach by the Palestinian leadership to the Indian leadership amidst the situation in Gaza? And you talked about India using its political weight. India has a good relationship with Israel. So what kind of expectations do you have when it comes to India leveraging its position with Israel?

Abdallah M. Abu Shawesh: India has a political weight when it comes to the political arena, international political arena, India is the champion of south-south cooperation. India is the upcoming economic power. India is one of the countries that established BRICS. India is a key player, when it comes to the global political arena. We again look forward to India, and Palestine's President in a special letter to his Excellency, the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, calling for the two issues that I already mentioned. And so we look for India to use again, it is a heavy political weight worldwide, for the benefit of the Palestinian people, to end the starvation war that Israel is launching, the Israel blockade.

Sidhant Sibal: What's the status of the Indian infrastructure projects, Indian projects, community projects in Palestine, both in West Bank and in Gaza.

Abdallah M. Abu Shawesh: India has invested in infrastructure in Palestine territories, West Bank and Gaza. Jawaharlal Nehru library in Gaza, and many other infrastructure, but unfortunately, it has been completely destroyed. Indian projects are still running and still funded by India. One of them, we are still discussing, and in the process of implementing it, a hospital in the north of the west bank. To be very frank, India and the Indian people are very generous in this regard. And I'm pretty sure after the war ends, this Israeli-American war on Gaza, India will be there, and India will do a great job.

Sidhant Sibal: India has concerns over Hamas, especially in Pakistan, occupied Kashmir, India has concerns over Pakistan. So any comments on that?

Abdallah M. Abu Shawesh: Palestinian Liberation Organization, has its own concern and the relation between India was started a long time ago, between India and the Palestinian Liberation Organization. India invested heavily in the Palestinian Authority. India, and Palestinian Liberation Organization, have a very strong and very good relationship, which is based on the full respect of the sovereignty of India. We have a declared policy as a Palestinian Liberation Organization, we do not intervene in political issues of any country and not try to harm anyone, we are neutral in this regard.