India prompts Palestine to recall its envoy to Pak

India's strong protest has prompted Palestine to recall its envoy to Pakistan, Walid Abu Ali, who shared the dais with Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed at a rally in Rawalpindi on Friday.

The Palestinian Authority decided to recall its envoy to Islamabad on Saturday – a day after his pictures with Saeed, a terrorist proscribed by the United Nations, went viral.

Ali was also seen addressing the rally which was held by Difa-e-Pakistan, a conglomerate of radical anti-India and anti-US Islamist organisations.

India sharply reacted and conveyed its strong protest to the Palestinian Authority through diplomatic channels, in both New Delhi and Ramallah.

It was also conveyed that the incident might cast a shadow over the proposed visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Palestine in February.

New Delhi made it clear to the Palestinian Authority that the "association" of its envoy to Islamabad with Saeed, who masterminded the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai, was "unacceptable". New Delhi's envoy to Ramallah, Anish Rajan, conveyed India's view to Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki on Saturday.

Senior diplomats in West Asia and North Africa division of the Ministry of External Affairs also conveyed the same to Palestine's Ambassador to India Adnan Mohammad Jaber Abualhayjaa, a source told DH.

Ramallah conveyed "deep regrets" over the incident and assured New Delhi that the Palestinian Authority would "take serious cognisance" of the presence of its ambassador to Pakistan at the rally held by Saeed's outfit Jamat-ud-Dawa – a front of the LeT – and other affiliates of the Difa-e-Pakistan. "They (Palestinian Authority) have said they will deal with this matter appropriately," said Raveesh Kumar, MEA spokesperson.

"It was also conveyed that Palestine highly values its relationship with India and stands with us in the war against terrorism, and will not engage with those who commit acts of terror against India."