“S Jaishankar, expressing concern, stated that Palestinians have been consistently denied their homeland, highlighting the ongoing plight faced by the Palestinian people in their struggle for self-determination and territorial sovereignty.”
He characterized the events of October 7 as a ‘terrorist attack,’ while also recognizing the Israeli counteroffensive in Gaza, emphasizing the importance of adhering to international humanitarian law in all responses.
In a robust statement regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, speaking from Kuala Lumpur, emphasized that despite the complexities involved, the fundamental truth remains that Palestinians have been deprived of their rights and homeland.
He stated that what transpired on October 7 was a ‘terrorist attack’ but also acknowledged, in reference to the Israeli counteroffensive in Gaza, that every response must take into account something called international humanitarian law.
Mr Jaishankar, who is on a visit to Malaysia, was interacting with the Indian community during an event.
“How different pulls and pressures can be. On one hand, what happened on October 7 was terrorism. On the other hand, nobody would countenance the death of innocent civilians. Countries may be justified in their own minds in responding, but you cannot have a response that…every response must take into account something called international humanitarian law,” Jaishankar said.
He added, “Regardless of the complexities surrounding the matter, the fundamental issue lies in the rights of the Palestinians and the undeniable reality that they have been deprived of their homeland.”
Hamas launched a horrific terror attack in Israel on October 7 killing more than 1200 people and holding more than 250 people as hostages, out of which over 100 are still in captivity.
