India angry as Palestine envoy shares stage with Hafiz Saeed

India’s External Affairs Ministry to send a “strongly worded demarche” to the Palestinian govt

India reacted with anger after Palestine’s envoy to Pakistan joined Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed at a rally organised by the Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC) on Friday to denounce US decision to recognise Jerusalem as the Israeli capital.

Pictures of the Palestinian ambassador to Pakistan, Walid Abu Ali, sharing the stage with Saeed and addressing the rally at Liaqat Bagh in Rawalpindi were circulated on social media on Friday.



According to the Hindustan Times newspaper, India’s External Affairs Ministry planned to send a “strongly worded demarche” to the Palestinian government. “We are taking up the matter strongly with the Palestinian ambassador in New Delhi and with the Palestinian authorities,” the newspaper quoted ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar as saying.

The development comes as India and Palestine are discussing a possible visit to Ramallah by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February, the newspaper said. The visit is seen in India as a conciliatory gesture after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to New Delhi in January.