India well placed to mediate Israel-Palestine dispute: FM Varsen Aghabekian Shahin

New Delhi: A two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict and Gaza reconstruction will figure prominently during the Arab foreign ministers' meeting being held in Delhi on Friday-Saturday in the backdrop of US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace tasked with overseeing the Gaza peace plan.

Ahead of the meeting Palestinian foreign minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin said India could play a mediating role between Israel and Palestine, citing New Delhi's long-standing political support and developmental assistance to the Palestinian people.

The visiting minister said India's position on international law and a two-state solution was "very clear" to Palestine. India has always maintained that only a two-state solution can bring stability in the region and the issue may figure during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's proposed visit to Israel in February.


"We truly understand India is a great country and looks strategically at its interest and is a friend of Palestine and Israel today... we would like India to be moving to a balanced approach to the area and we truly believe that India can play a major role as a mediator between Israel and Palestine, towards the end of conflict and occupation in Palestine," Shahin said.

Trump's peace board also figured at Friday's meeting between the ministers. ET had earlier reported that India would take into consideration views of Arab foreign ministers before taking a decision on the US President's invitation to PM Modi for joining the board.

Expanding economic links with the Arab world is also a key agenda item at the meeting.

On Friday external affairs minister S Jaishankar met secretary general of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, to discuss strengthening cooperation between India and the Arab League across a range of sectors.