TNN & Agencies May 7, 2011, 03.43am IST
NEW DELHI: India on Friday welcomed the reconciliation between Palestinian groups Fatah and Hamas, paving way for the creation of a joint caretaker Palestinian government ahead of national elections scheduled to be held next year. Israel has described the pact as a setback for peace in West Asia.
"The Government of India welcomes the reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas which ends the differences between the West Bank and Gaza and hopes that this would promote the realization of the aspirations of the Palestinian people, and leads to peace and stability in the region," a Ministry of External Affairs statement said.
The Palestinian agreement prompted angry reactions from Israel. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Tony Blair in London that "the agreement between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas is a hard blow to the peace process." Blair is the West Asia envoy for the diplomatic quartet of the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Russia.
"How is it possible to achieve peace with a government, half of which calls for the destruction of the State of Israel and even praises the arch-murderer Osama Bin Laden?" Netanyahu asked.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-welcomes-reconciliation-between-Palestinian-rivals/articleshow/8183088.cms
NEW DELHI: India on Friday welcomed the reconciliation between Palestinian groups Fatah and Hamas, paving way for the creation of a joint caretaker Palestinian government ahead of national elections scheduled to be held next year. Israel has described the pact as a setback for peace in West Asia.
"The Government of India welcomes the reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas which ends the differences between the West Bank and Gaza and hopes that this would promote the realization of the aspirations of the Palestinian people, and leads to peace and stability in the region," a Ministry of External Affairs statement said.
The Palestinian agreement prompted angry reactions from Israel. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Tony Blair in London that "the agreement between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas is a hard blow to the peace process." Blair is the West Asia envoy for the diplomatic quartet of the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Russia.
"How is it possible to achieve peace with a government, half of which calls for the destruction of the State of Israel and even praises the arch-murderer Osama Bin Laden?" Netanyahu asked.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-welcomes-reconciliation-between-Palestinian-rivals/articleshow/8183088.cms
