The diplomat-turned-politician S Jaishnakar said that if there are six issues out there, and if anyone takes one or two and if the rest four don’t matter, then such an approach won’t work in resolving the conflict.

New Delhi: Amid the ongoing Israel-Palestine war, the debate over the existence of Palestine still continues across the world and various countries around the world have taken respective stands on it. Continuing this debate, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has stated that India favours a two-state solution to end the decades-long Israel-Palestine conflict. Moreover, S Jaishankar also stated that the conflict in West Asia must be viewed in totality rather than in isolation. Notably, he termed the Hamas’ deadly incursions inside Israel, which occurred four months ago, a terrorist attack, as per a report by news agency PTI.

India’s Stand On Two-state Solution Continues

Replying to a question at an interaction with students of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Mumbai, Jaishankar said, “It is certainly the view of India and a very large number of countries that (the problem can only be solved through a two-state solution and that there has to be a Palestinian state side-by-side with the state of Israel.” “So for us today, there are all the aspects. We cannot take one aspect and say that’s the only aspect because if you see the debate in the world in a way, that is what people are doing,” he said.

The diplomat-turned-politician maintained that if there are six issues out there, and if anyone takes one or two and if the rest four don’t matter, then such an approach won’t work in resolving the conflict.

“I think that is not helpful. I think we have to look at the totality of all these issues and strike the right balance and that is really, in a way, what we are trying,” he added.

Jaishankar said what happened on October 7, 2023, was a terrorist attack, referring to Hamas militants launching a series of assaults inside Israel after storming across the border. About 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the attacks, while nearly 250 Israelis and other nationals were taken hostage by Hamas.

“I don’t think there should be confusion on that and as a country that has itself experienced so much terrorism, I think it’s important that we recognise that and express our solidarity with Israel as another victim of terrorism,” noted the External Affairs Minister.

Israel’s Strong Response To Hamas Attacks

On Israel’s strong response to the Hamas attacks, which triggered a war in the Gaza Strip, he said that when any country responds, it is equally important to observe international laws, and he called for avoiding civilian casualties.

The nearly four-month-long war has killed more than 26,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, destroyed vast swaths of the Gaza Strip, a tiny but densely populated Palestinian enclave, and displaced nearly 85 per cent of the territory’s population. Israel says its air and ground offensive has killed more than 9,000 militants.

“Every effort should be made to ideally avoid or limit civilian casualties,” Jaishankar insisted.

Where there is a situation in which civilians are affected, which is the case today (in the Israel-Hamas war) very manifestly in Gaza, there has to be some kind of sustainable humanitarian corridor that will deal with it, Jaishankar said.

(With inputs from agencies)