India reiterates support to Palestine statehood

Amman, Oct 12 (ANI): President Pranab Mukherjee stressed on India's unwavering support to Palestine's demand for separate statehood and a negotiated solution to Israel-Palestinian conflict. Mukherjee was delivering a lecture at the University of Jordan in capital Amman after an Honorary Doctorate was conferred on him by the varsity. In July, India, for the first time, abstained from voting on a resolution on Palestine adopted at the UN Human Rights Council that called for accountability by parties involved in last year's conflict in Gaza. This had raised questions on the country's traditional Palestine policy. Mukherjee, who is to visit Palestine and Israel after his Jordan tour, said India's bilateral relations with both the countries were independent of each other. Rancour runs deep between Israel and Palestine. The last round of negotiations between the two countries ended in April 2014 without progress. Mukherjee said that Syria played a key and fundamental role in achieving peace