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India.com
28 minutes ago
- India.com
US Slams UN Two-State Summit For Israel, Palestine As ‘Publicity Stunt', Warns India Of Fallout
New Delhi/Washington: The Donald Trump administration has sent a stern message to India: Washington is not on board with the international conference on the two-state solution for Israel-Palestine. The gathering is currently underway in New York. The United States has refused to participate in what it calls an 'ill-timed' and 'unproductive' meeting, which is being co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia. India joins over 120 nations in attendance. A spokesperson for the U.S. embassy confirmed that American officials have directly communicated their disapproval to New Delhi. 'We have shared our views on the conference with the Government of India. The United States will not participate in this unproductive and ill-timed conference on the two-state solution in New York City. The United States will continue to lead real-world efforts to end the fighting and deliver a permanent peace,' the official said, reiterating Washington's stance,' the official said, reiterating Washington's stance. U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce went further and accused the conference of doing more harm than good. 'Far from promoting peace, the conference will prolong the war, embolden Hamas and reward its obstruction. It undermines real-world efforts to achieve peace,' she said. Bruce slammed the summit as a diplomatic distraction and 'a publicity stunt' that could derail progress towards a ceasefire and hostage release. She also linked French President Emmanuel Macron's announcement that France will officially recognise a Palestinian state to Hamas' recent statements, claiming it reflects a pattern of missteps that strengthen the group's hand. 'This only encourages Hamas to obstruct a ceasefire and undercuts our diplomatic efforts to end the suffering in Gaza,' Bruce warned. India, however, is engaging with the conference in hopes of facilitating dialogue and tangible action. New Delhi is participating in consultations with the eight working groups formed by the United Nations and civil society to shape 'concrete measures' toward the two-state goal. These working groups had been preparing for the conference since a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution last year called for a summit in June 2025. That event was delayed due to the Iran-Iraq conflict. India's representative to the United Nations Ambassador P Harish reiterated the country's long-standing position. In a statement to the UN Security Council last week, he urged for an immediate ceasefire and emphasised the release of hostages as a top priority. 'India shares historic and strong ties with our Palestinian brothers and sisters. We have always stood by them and our commitment towards the Palestinian cause is unwavering,' he said. Though India abstained from a UNGA resolution in June demanding an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, it has since been in regular contact with the working groups and is expected to contribute its formal recommendations during the summit. New Delhi continues to walk a careful diplomatic line, balancing its close and growing relationship with Israel and its principled support for Palestinian statehood. The Ministry of External Affairs reiterated India's stance in Parliament last Friday that a negotiated two-state solution is the only way forward. That vision includes the creation of a sovereign Palestine that exists in peace beside Israel within secure and recognised borders.
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
UK will recognise Palestinian state unless Israel agrees to 'immediate ceasefire'
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the United Kingdom is ready to officially recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September — unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire and initiates impactful steps toward peace and humanitarian announcement came on Tuesday amid growing outrage over images of starving children in Gaza and mounting pressure within his own party. "The Palestinian people have endured terrible suffering," he told in Gaza, because of a catastrophic failure of aid, we see starving babies, children too weak to stand, images that will stay with us for a lifetime. The suffering must end," he added. If the UK follows through, it will become the second Western member of the UN Security Council after France to officially recognise a Palestinian state. This would deepen Israel's diplomatic isolation over its ongoing war with Hamas in CONDITIONS FOR RECOGNITIONThe UK's move is conditional. Starmer said Britain will only move forward if Israel does not show clear action by September. That includes easing humanitarian access to Gaza, publicly ruling out the annexation of the West Bank, and committing to a peace process based on a two-state said the British government will review progress made by all parties before finalising its decision. 'We will assess how far the parties have met these steps,' he said. 'But no one will have a veto over our decision.'He had earlier held a phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to the news agency responded quickly to Starmer's comments. Its Foreign Ministry posted on X, saying the UK's decision amounted to a "reward for Hamas" and would damage any chance of a ceasefire in statement comes just a day after his meeting in Scotland with US President Donald Trump, who reportedly told him he did "not mind" if Britain went ahead to recognise Palestine. However, the United States -- Israel's closest ally -- has consistently avoided recognising a Palestinian PARTY'S STANCE ON PALESTINEThe UK prime minister's position marks a sharp turnaround from last week, when he disappointed many in his Labour Party by stating that the time was not yet right for shift also comes against the backdrop of frustration in Britain over Israel's conduct in the war. Starmer recalled his cabinet from the summer break to discuss a new European-led peace proposal and measures to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza's 2.2 million has long held the position that it would recognise Palestine only "when the time is right," but it had never before attached a specific timeline or clear announced last week it would recognise Palestine as a state based on 1967 borders, which drew strong criticism from both Israel and the United States. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the French decision "reckless."China and Russia are the only other permanent members of the UN Security Council to have recognised Palestine.- EndsWith inputs from Reuters
Economic Times
an hour ago
- Economic Times
Modi govt lacks political will, claims Rahul Gandhi; says no country condemned Pakistan for Pahalgam attack
Launching a scathing attack on the Modi government during the Lok Sabha debate on Operation Sindoor, Congress MP and LoP Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday questioned why no country around the world condemned Pakistan for the Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 civilians dead.'Not one country condemned Pakistan for the Pahalgam terror attack,' he said, calling the silence of the international community deeply telling. 'What does that mean? It means that the world equates India with Pakistan.'Rahul Gandhi was referring to the brutal April 2025 massacre in Kashmir's Pahalgam, which was executed by Pakistan-backed terrorists. He began his speech by expressing solidarity with the victims, describing the assault as 'a brutal attack, heartless attack, organised and orchestrated clearly by the Pakistanis.''Mercilessly young people, old people, murdered in cold blood,' Gandhi said. 'Together, every person in this House, condemned Pakistan. The moment Operation Sindoor began, the Opposition committed itself, all the parties, that we will stand like a rock, with forces and the elected government of India.'Targeting Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's earlier statement on the government's post-strike communication with Pakistan, Rahul Gandhi said: 'Rajnath Singh said Operation Sindoor started at 01:05 AM and lasted 22 minutes. Then, he said the most shocking thing... that at 1:35AM we called Pakistan and told them we have hit non-military targets and we do not want escalation. These are the words of the defence minister of India. Does he understand what he revealed?'He criticised the government for allegedly giving away sensitive information to Pakistan. 'You told Pakistan directly that you do not have the political will to fight,' Gandhi claimed. 'Rajnath Singh said that the Indian DGMO also told Pakistan that we do not want any military escalation.'Gandhi went further, accusing the political leadership of compromising India's strategic posture:'We told Pakistanis that we will not attack your military infrastructure, that we will not attack your air defence system — but you then send your pilots to enemy territory.' He claimed that such a message from India amounts to weakening the armed forces' hand in combat situations. 'The Indian Air Force made no mistake. The mistake was made by the political leadership that constrained India's defence forces,' he said. Referring to an Indian diplomat's remarks overseas, Gandhi said: 'Then, the Indian attache in Indonesia admitted that India lost fighter jets in Pakistan and that this happened because of political constraints.'Recalling the Indo-Pak war of 1971, Rahul Gandhi drew a contrast between then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's leadership and the present-day BJP government:'In 1971, there was political will. I would like to remind this to Rajnath Singh. Sam Manekshaw and Indira Gandhi cooperated with each other, listened and took decisive action against those who were threatening India's sovereignty.'Rahul Gandhi also criticised the government for what he said was its unwillingness to engage on the tough questions. 'You do not wish to answer,' he said, questioning the silence on why Trump, the former US President, 'has said 29 times that he is responsible for ceasefire.' He added, 'If he's lying, let the PM say that he is lying.'Rahul Gandhi's address was interspersed with emotional anecdotes from his meetings with families of the Pahalgam attack victims. 'I went to Narwal ji's house. His son was in the Indian Navy. Upon meeting him, I went like I was sitting with my family,' he recounted a heartbreaking moment shared by martyr Vinay Narwal's sister: 'I look at the door and think: my brother will come, but he doesn't… he never will.'He also recalled meeting a grieving woman in Uttar Pradesh: 'A husband was gunned down in front of his wife as he was buying something in Baisaran Valley.'
