India backs peace talks between Israel and Palestine

Pitching for continuation of dialogue between Israel and Palestinians, India on Wednesday reaffirmed its strong commitment to the Palestine cause and hoped that recent parleys held between the two sides will help find a permanent solution.

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, who was here, met the entire top Palestinian leadership including President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.
Krishna, who is on a visit to the Middle East and had visited Israel and Jordan in the first leg of his tour, said he had a very “revealing” trip.

“I have had a very interesting visit to Jordan, Israel and Palestine. It has been very revealing and it is also something that one has to experience oneself in order to understand and appreciate the genesis of this problem of Palestine, Israel,” Krishna told PTI on his way back to Jordan en-route to UAE.

“It is India’s fond hope that the talks which are being explored between the two sides will be continued and they will find a purposeful end in terms of finding a permanent solution which has eluded time and personalities,” Krishna said adding, “I wish their efforts best wishes.”

Krishna’s visit comes in the backdrop of Jordan playing host to Israeli and Palestinian negotiators on January 3, the first in more than a year.

The Minister, who today drove into the city from Jeruslaem, had a marathon over one and half hours luncheon with Abbas. He also met with Fayyad and his Palestinian counterpart Riyad al-Malki.