India on Friday said it had joined over 100 countries and international organisations in endorsing a statement condemning Israel’s expansion of what it described as unlawful settlements in the West Bank. New Delhi said the move was consistent with its long-standing support for a two-state solution and the rights of the Palestinian people.
India was not among the initial signatories when Palestine’s UN envoy, Riyad Mansour, released the statement on Tuesday with backing from more than 80 countries and organisations. However, India later associated itself with the document on Wednesday, along with around 20 additional countries and organisations, criticising Israel’s efforts to expand control in parts of the West Bank administered by the Palestinian Authority.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a weekly media briefing that the statement had not been formally negotiated among participating countries, as is customary at the United Nations. He noted that India’s position had been clearly articulated earlier in the India–Arab League ministerial joint statement.
The India–Arab League ministerial meeting, held on January 31, reaffirmed a shared commitment to achieving a “just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East” in accordance with international law, relevant UN resolutions, and the Arab Peace Initiative. The joint statement called for the establishment of a sovereign, independent, and viable State of Palestine based on the 1967 borders, living peacefully alongside Israel, and supported the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.
Jaiswal said India’s decision to associate with the Palestinian initiative was aligned with the principles outlined in that joint statement and took into account the concerns raised in the document. He added that several other countries had similarly joined the statement after its initial release.
The development comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s planned visit to Israel on February 24–25, where he is scheduled to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to review bilateral ties. Several agreements in areas such as technology and security are expected to be signed during the visit.
The statement, supported by countries from Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America, as well as organisations including the European Union, the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, rejected measures aimed at altering the demographic composition and status of Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem.
The signatories also reiterated their commitment to taking concrete steps in line with UN resolutions and a July 2024 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice, which declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories illegal and called for the evacuation of settlements in the West Bank.
Israel has intensified military operations in the West Bank following its war in Gaza, launched in October 2023 in response to attacks by Hamas. These operations have included arrests, displacement and settlement expansion. Palestinian officials allege that the objective is to alter ground realities in the region. According to Palestinian sources, at least 1,114 Palestinians have been killed and around 22,000 arrested in the West Bank.
Jaiswal also confirmed that India attended a meeting of US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace in Washington on February 19 as an observer. He said India supports Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan and ongoing efforts under UN Security Council Resolution 2803.
