United Nations: Speaking in Arabic at the Security Council, India’s Permanent Representative P Harish has strongly assured Palestinians of India’s support for them and commitment to a two-state solution that grants them “a sovereign, independent and viable” nation.
“World’s focus on the Strait of Hormuz must not divert our attention away from the dire humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip”, he said on Tuesday, switching from English to Arabic during a debate on the Middle East.
“The loss of civilian lives and destruction of civilian infrastructure are pressing concerns that the international community must act on immediately, with a deep sense of urgency”, he said.
This may be the first time an Indian diplomat spoke in Arabic at the Security Council.
Harish, who studied Arabic at the American University in Cairo, is fluent in Arabic.
When he switched from English to Arabic, UN interpreters took over, simultaneously translating his remarks into the other official languages, English, French, Spanish, Russian, and Chinese.
Speaking in Arabic was to send a strong message of reassurance directly to the Palestinians of India’s continued support for their rights and their cause of an independent nation, long thwarted by Israel and the US.
Harish has a link to Palestine, as he was India's Representative to the Palestinian Authority stationed in Gaza City, a place now in ruins after Israeli attacks.
Starting in 2023 after a Hamas attack on Israel, its retaliation has killed about 73,000 people, including 38,000 women and girls, in Gaza, according to the UN.
Harish has also served with the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which assists Palestinians.
Continuing in Arabic, he said, “India is firmly committed to efforts that make a tangible impact on the daily lives of the Palestinians”.
India has given about $175 million in development assistance to Palestine covering development projects, humanitarian assistance, the construction of the Palestinian Institute of Diplomacy and contributions to UNRWA, for which it is now a top contributor, Harish said.
“At the Palestine donor group meeting in Brussels this month, India committed to setting up a speciality hospital, an artificial limb fitment centre and a vocational training institute for Palestine”, he added.
“Even as we work on alleviating the humanitarian distress of the Palestinian people, we should simultaneously press ahead for a sustainable and durable political solution”, Harish said.
“India believes that a sovereign, independent and viable State of Palestine living side by side in peace with Israel, within secure and recognised borders, is essential to a comprehensive and lasting solution”, he said.
