India hopes Palestine soon becomes independent country: Modi

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : PM Narendra Modi, in a press statement on February 10, 2018, during his Palestine visit, said that the old and strong historical relations between India and Palestine have stood the test of time.

“Our incessant and steadfast support to the Palestinian cause has always been on top of our foreign policy. I am happy to stand here in Ramallah with President Mahmoud Abbas who is a very old friend of India. I was privileged to welcome him during his New Delhi visit last May. I am happy to renew our friendship and India’s support. During this visit I got the opportunity to pay my tributes at the tomb of Abu Omar. He was among the top leaders of his time. His role in Palestinian struggle is unprecedented. Abu Omar was also a distinguished friend of India. Visiting the museum dedicated to him has also been an unforgettable experience for me,” PM Modi said.

PM Modi said that the people of Palestine have shown remarkable courage and perseverancein the face of constant challenges and crisis. ” You have demonstrated rock like determination to deal with the circumstances and that too at a time when there was an atmosphere of instability and insecurity which hampers progress and which puts in jeopardy the benefits which have been acquired after significant struggle.The difficulties and challenges against which you have moved ahead is really commendable,” he said.

The PM said India has started a Technology Park project at Ramallah which is currently under construction. After its creation, it will work as a center which enhances employment skills and services, he said adding India is also collaborating to set up an Institute of Diplomacy at Ramallah. “We believe that this institute will emerge as a world-class training institute for the young diplomats of Palestine,” PM Modi said.

“Our capacity building cooperation involves mutual training for long and short-term courses. Training and scholarship slots for Palestine in leading Indian educational institutions of different sectors such as finance, management, rural development and information technology were recently extended,” Modi said.  India will continue to invest in Palestine in the projects of health, educational infrastructure and women empowerment center and also in a printing press, he said. At the bilateral level, we have agreed to make our relations deeper through the Ministerial level Joint Commission Meeting, PM Modi added.

“President Abbas and I had discussions on recent regional and global developments related to the peace and security of Palestine and its peace process. India greatly hopes for peace and stability in this region. We believe that permanent solution to the issue of Palestine is ultimately contained in negotiations and understanding through which a path to a peaceful coexistence can be obtained. Intense diplomacy and judiciousness alone can help to achieve freedom from this cycle of violence and from the burden of the history,” Modi said. India hopes that Palestine soon becomes a sovereign and independent country in a peaceful atmosphere, he said, according to a PIB release.