Palestine recalls envoy who shared stage with Hafiz Saeed

According to TV reports, Palestine has decided to recall their envoy from Pakistan. With India describing the Palestinian envoy in Pakistan sharing a stage with Hafiz Saeed, the alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, as "unacceptable", Palestine on Saturday expressed "deep regrets" about the incident.

"Government of India has strongly conveyed to the Palestinian side that the Palestinian Ambassador in Pakistan's association with terrorist Hafiz Saeed, who is proscribed by the United Nations, at an event in Rawalpindi on December 12, is unacceptable," the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

"The concerns were conveyed both in New Delhi to the Palestinian Ambassador and in Ramallah to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, State of Palestine," it said.

"The Palestinian side has conveyed deep regrets over the incident and assured the Government of India that they are taking serious cognizance of their Ambassador's presence at this event. They have said they will deal with this matter appropriately."

Palestine Ambassador to Pakistan Waleed Abu Ali on Friday shared the stage with Jamaat-ud-Dawa terror outfit chief Saeed at a gathering organised by Difa-e-Pakistan Council, an umbrella organisation of hardline right-wing groups.

According to a report in Pakistan's The Nation daily, the Rawalpindi central leadership of Difa-e-Pakistan-Council has announced a countrywide movement for the liberation of Kashmir and Palestine.

The report quoted Ali as saying that "with Pakistan's tremendous support to Palestine cause, we do not feel alone".

This comes after India voted with the rest of the world earlier in December in favour of an Arab resolution in the UN General Assembly rejecting US President Donald Trump's decision recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

According to the External Affairs Ministry statement, Palestine has also conveyed that it "highly values its relationship with India and stands with us in the war against terrorism, and will not engage with those who commit acts of terror against India".

"We take note of the assurances given by the Palestine side," the statement added.