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India voices concern over Middle East violence

India has expressed "very deep concern and consternation" over the eruption of violence in the Middle East, and called for continued dialogue between Palestinians and Israelis to find just, comprehensive and lasting settlement.

"For the people of Israeli and Palestine, designed to live as neighbours, peace is not an option: but there no alternative to it," Indian representative Madan Lal Khurana, MP, told the United Nations General Assembly.

Speaking about "spiral of violence" which has vitiated the atmosphere between Israelis and Palestinians, he said the overriding need of the hour is restraint, avoidance of and shunning the use of force as also encouragement to violence.

"This alone can ensure restoration of peace and calm," he added.

At the same time, Khurana said, an impartial and objective assessment of the developments would help both in the context of violation of human rights that have occurred and to learn lesson for future.

Stressing the considerable progress has been made in the peace process, he said, the events of last few days should not be allowed to retard or delay the pace process for which Palestinian and Israelis have striven hard.

"Together, over the years, they have come a long way on the road to peace - a one-way journey from which there cannot and should not be going back," he said.

Earlier, the General Assembly termed as "illegal and obstacle to peace" Israeli settlement in the occupied Palestinian territories including Jerusalem, and condemned with overwhelming majority excessive use of force by Israel against Palestinians.

A resolution adopted by the 189-member House Friday by 92 votes to six with 46 abstentions, also called for immediate cessation of hostilities between the two sides and resumption of peace talks.

India was among the member states that voted in favour of the Palestinian-drafted resolution which was opposed by the US, Israel and four others.

The resolution condemned violence that took place at Al-Haram Al-Sharif and other holy places in Jerusalem as well as other areas of "occupied" Palestinian territories and held Israel responsible for excessive use of force against Palestinian civilians.

The resolution, while stressing the need for implementation of understandings reached recently at the Sharm el-Shiekh summit, supported establishment of US-led inquiry into the recent violence in the Palestinian territories that claimed over 100 lives, mostly of Arabs.

The vote was taken after an eight-hour special emergency session which began on Wednesday and was adjourned for two days.

The session was called at the request of the Palestinian observer to the UN Nasser Al-Kidwa.

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