UN asks India to mediate between Israel & Palestine

New Delhi, March 2 (IAN) The Un is exploring ways to engage India for mediation between Israel and Palestine to resolve the protracted conflict between the two in the Middle East.

A delegation of the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People was on a two-day visit to New Delhi beginning from Monday.

The team includes UN Ambassadors and Representatives of Senegal (Committee Chair); Indonesia and Malaysia (Committee Members); and the State of Palestine (Committee Observer).

According to an official statement, the delegation "intends to engage India, a country with good relations to both the State of Palestine and Israel, in looking for ways how it could play a more proactive role in the settling of the question of Palestine".

The UN group will focus on enhancing the political and diplomatic support of India for a peaceful solution of the question of Palestine; and engaging Indian counterparts on synergies in capacity building for staff and institutions of the State of Palestine.

The visit would also focus on enhancing the coordination of the UN committee bureau and India on capacity building projects for the State of Palestine, including within the context of South-South and Triangular Cooperation.

The UN team will hold meetings with Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar, and senior officials in the Ministry, political leaders, and think tanks.

--IANS

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