Srinagar, Dec 7 (PTI) Opposition National Conference (NC)president Farooq Abdullah today condemned the recognition ofJerusalem as Israel's capital by US President Donald Trump,saying it was unfair, unjust and oblivious to historical factsand the goal of reconciliation and peace in the Middle East.
Trump's announcement was in contradiction to history andthe sentiments of millions of Muslims across the world,including in India, he said in a statement.
At a time when the world was grappling with instabilityand hostility, especially in the Middle East, an arbitraryannouncement of this nature was fraught with the risk ofalienating people and adding to the widespread sense ofinjustice, the former Union minister added.
He said the move had hurt the sentiments of Muslims allover the world and made the goals of cooperation and stabilityfarther and harder to achieve.
The Srinagar MP, while strongly condemning theannouncement, said the global community was obligated todeliver justice to the people of Palestine and that noresponsible power should take any step which would hurt thesentiments centered around historical disputes.
The Government of India was also obligated to stronglyand unambiguously oppose the move, in line with the country'shistorical foreign policy stand, which was committed to thepeople of Palestine in their quest for justice and peacefulexistence and also pivoted on the policy of non-alignment andobjectivity, he said.
The condemnation from the Centre should be unequivocaland India should take a stand in consonance with its valuesand its place in the comity of nations, the former Jammu andKashmir chief minister said.
Stating that India had traditionally and consistentlysupported the cause of the Palestinian people, Abdullah saidthe foreign policy of the country had always noted EastJerusalem as the capital of an independent Palestinian state.
"A failure of the (Narendra) Modi government to stronglyreiterate this commitment and stand would be a greatdisservice to our country's independent foreign policy goalsand our commitments at the global stage," he said. PTI MIJRC.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.