Mukherjee meets Palestine President, reaffirms support

KV Prasad

Tribune News Service

Ramallah, October 12

India today reiterated its unaltered support for Palestine, which said efforts were on to contain the clashes on its side amid heightening tension in the region over recent incidents of violence.

President Mahmoud Abbas told President Pranab Mukherjee that his government is doing its best to ensure the clashes are contained on its side while blaming religious extremists on the Israeli side for the recent troubled situation in Al Aqsa compound. Abbas also conveyed that Palestine is seeking settlement on the 1967 basis, and not current, where territories have been taken up due to settlements. He also mentioned the 2002 development when 57 Arab and Muslim countries agreed to recognise Israel by withdrawing from occupied areas.

Amid the backdrop, Mukherjee arrived here from Amman, Jordan, for an overnight stay before he reaches Israel tomorrow for the third and final leg of his tour to West Asia. Mukherjee flew into Tel Aviv this morning and travelled for nearly an hour by road to Betunia check post courtesy Israel.

The entourage crossed by foot across the heavily guarded border into waiting vehicles provided by the Palestinian Authority. Later, the President met Sheikh Mohammed Munir Ansari and his family, who run the Indian Hospice in Old Jerusalem. The Ansaris hold Indian passports despite living here for nearly eight decades and the place they run is associated with Baba Farid.

Row over computers 

Ahead of Pranab's visit, there was a minor complication as  Israel withheld 30 computers meant for the India-Palestine Centre for Excellence in ICT. These were cleared hours before the President touched down at Ben Gurion airport. However, communication equipment for it was denied clearance on grounds of its frequency being unacceptable to Israel.