PM Narendra Modi to visit Palestine, says envoy Adnan A Alihaijaa

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is planning to visit Palestine in the near future in a move that follows India’s refusal to back US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Hours after India decided not to toe the American line on Jerusalem, Palestinian ambassador to India, Adnan MA Abualhaija, informed a selected audience on Thursday that Modi would visit Palestine in the near future.

Although no dates have been announced yet, Modi could visit Palestine early next year.

The PM is planning yet another trip to West Asia including the United Arab Emirates in February. The Palestinians want East Jerusalem, captured by Israel in June 1967, to be the capital of any future Palestinian state.

Modi’s visit to Palestine could be preceded by a visit of Jordanian King Abdullah to India. Jordan, whose ties with India have been on the upswing over the past few years, is the custodian of Al-Aqsa Mosque in the old city of Jerusalem, the third holy site in Islam, and therefore has a significant say in Palestinian affairs.

The mosque remains under the administration of the Jordanian and Palestinian-led Jerusalem Islamic Waqf. President Pranab Mukherjee had visited Palestine in 2015 in a trip to the region including Jordan and Israel.

Jerusalem is of huge importance to both Israel and the Palestinians.

It contains sites sacred to the three major faiths – Judaism, Islam and Christianity. East Jerusalem, which includes the Old City, was annexed by Israel after the Six Day War of 1967, but before President Trump’s move it was not internationally recognised as part of Israel.

According to the 1993 Israel-Palestinian peace accords, the final status of Jerusalem is meant to be discussed in the later stages of peace talks.

Hours after President Trump’s announcement, external affairs ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar said, “India’s position on Palestine is independent and consistent. It is shaped by our views and interests, and not determined by any third country.”