Palestinian Ambassador Condemns Terror Attack; Seeks India’s Role In Peace Process

In the wake of the terrorist attack in India earlier this week, Palestinian Ambassador to India, Abdallah M Abu Shawesh, expressed heartfelt condolences to the Indian people. And shed light on the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Palestine.

Speaking to StratNews Global, Ambassador Abdallah drew deep parallels between India’s suffering and Palestine’s enduring trauma, calling for greater understanding and international solidarity.

“Allow me to start by extending very necessary and very timely condolences to the Indian people, the Indian government, and to the victims who lost their lives a few days ago,” the ambassador said. “We will remember them, and we send our sympathy and strong message to their families.”

Drawing from shared experiences, he linked the sorrow in India to the devastation in Gaza, highlighting that over 52,000 Palestinians have been killed and another 10,000 remain unaccounted for. “It was shocking for us in Palestine. We are enduring this type of killing based on our identity and ethnicity,” he noted, highlighting the destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure and forced displacements across the West Bank.

In a strongly-worded criticism, Ambassador Abdallah held Israel and its allies responsible, accusing them of a declared policy to expel Palestinians from their homeland. “They are trying to complete what they call the ‘Ben-Gurion job’. I was born in a refugee camp. My father was born in our original village. They want to finish what they started—removing Palestinians from our own land.”

He rejected the description of the Palestinian situation as a “conflict.” “It’s not a conflict. It’s an occupation. A foreign occupation is the ultimate terrorist act. According to international law and even India’s official position, this is an occupation—not a dispute,” he said.

He also dismissed comparisons between Hamas and international terrorism. “Israel is currently holding over 12,000 Palestinians hostage, including 9,000 under administrative detention, many of whom face daily torture. If you call hostage-taking terrorism, then what do you call this?” he asked.

He underscored that the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) does not support hostage-taking and remains committed to peace. “We signed the Oslo Accords 32 years ago, accepting only 22% of our historical homeland. No one has sacrificed more for peace than we have.”

Accusing Israel of rejecting the two-state solution, he urged the world not to ignore the decades of suffering prior to October 7. “We cannot begin the story from October 7. What about October 8, 9, and the 567 days that followed where every day, hundreds of Palestinians were killed, including over 17,000 children?”

India’s Role

He praised India’s historical support, including humanitarian aid and capacity-building projects. He called for a stronger political role from New Delhi. “India must appoint a special envoy for the peace process. India is not just any country—it can tip the balance in the global political arena.”

“When India decides, the world listens. We need India’s moral leadership now more than ever—to help stop this war, support reconstruction, and push for a just resolution,” he added.