Palestinian Ambassador Abdullah Abu Shawesh: ‘India there for us… can put pressure on Israel to end the conflict in Gaza’

They are calling it the Gaza takeover plan; some others are saying reoccupying Gaza. But we should be guided by international law in discussing this issue. Since 1967, as per the international law, Gaza has been considered as an occupied Palestinian territory. So, Gaza is already under Israeli occupation since June 6, 1967. Even in 2005, when they used to say that we have withdrawn from Gaza, that was considered as ‘redeployment’ according again to the international law.

Israel has not withdrawn from Gaza; they are still occupying Gaza, controlling the borders, controlling the sea, and controlling even the airwaves. This is not to take over Gaza, this is the plan to completely destroy Gaza, erase Gaza, level Gaza, as a step forward to expel the Palestinian people and ethnically cleanse them, which is the main goal of this war.

When the war started in October 2023, was there an idea that it would come this far?

This is my responsibility as Ambassador of the State of Palestine, to start by making some corrections. You said that war started on October 7, 2023. It’s not correct, this is a new round of Israeli aggression, and the war started on November 2, 1917, when the United Kingdom, which had no footprint in our historical land of Palestine, issued the Balfour Declaration, giving our homeland to the Khazarian jews. At that time, the war on the Palestinian people was started.

October 7 is a fact, we cannot deny it. But what about October 6? Does anyone know what happened to the Palestinian people on October 6? Palestinians were slain, targeted. Between January 1, 2023 and October 6 that year, more around 400 Palestinians were slain. Do you think that our life as a Palestinian does not matter?

So again, October 7 is a fact. But it’s not the beginning of history as the Israeli claim. It did not come from a vacuum.

So what is the way for the world to know the truth, the real story… not this side’s nor that side’s?

Israel is lying through its teeth… especially the current prime minister. We call for an international investigation committee, a fact-finding mission to be established by the United Nations, and all of the main political players around the globe to investigate what happened before October 7, on October 7, and after October 7. And anyone who has conducted a war crime should be held accountable. I think it’s a fair call.

France and Australia are now coming forward to say that they will recognise the state of Palestine. What do you think has changed for these countries, especially the West?

I should say that those Western countries are already late. But they came to realise finally that what is happening in the south of the Mediterranean Sea will affect them in the north. They cannot have this double standard… Europe imposed different types of sanctions against Russia, but zero sanctions against Israel. Not only this, they’re still supplying Israel with different types of weapons. They should impose measures that can enforce Israel to put an end to this clear-cut occupation.

India recognised the state of Palestine in 1974. The West is doing it many decades later. But this is not sufficient. If they really want to put an end to the Israeli occupation, they should also take legal, political, and peaceful measures.

Around the world, there is now concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, which everybody is very vocal about.

Do you think anything that is to help the people there, be it aid or food? This is the Israeli intention…they want us to concentrate on the bag of wheat or sugar. Because I was born in a refugee camp in Gaza and my family is there, when I communicate with them, the only thing they are concerned about is their life. Because there is no guarantee they will be alive tomorrow. But the Israelis and Americans want us to concentrate on the wheat bags.

Yes, there is a humanitarian crisis. The people are starving. People in my family — there are 100 people from the Shawesh family there, some of whom we have unfortunately lost — have lost weight, people went into surgeries without anaesthesia. Israel is not allowing a sufficient amount of food and medicines to enter. The only way to have some of this aid or necessary food is through the United Nations and UNRWA.

You have been in India for a few months now. What are the conversations you have had with Indian officials and the leadership on the situation?

I’m in continuous connection with officials here (in MEA). Also, President Mahmoud Abbas is in good communication with PM Narendra Modi. They had a meeting on the eve of the (United Nations ) General Assembly session last year. President Abbas also sent him a condolence letter over the Pahalgam attack. Just last month, he (President Abbas) sent him (PM Modi) a letter asking him to use his political leverage to pressure Israel to stop the current genocide.

Have you heard back from the Indian side?

We have two levels to discuss it. First and foremost, the Indian regular stand or the principled position on the two-state solution. India is supporting the Palestinian question even in multilateral arenas such as the UNGA. India is still there with the Palestinian people at the macro level again. But we know that India is facing a lot of challenges, mainly economic and security challenges, and sometimes the conditions need it to make some balance in their relations with Palestine and the other parts of the world.

So there is a sense of understanding of India’s position?

Yes… we are satisfied on a macro level by the Indian government’s position towards the Palestinian people. Also, India is implementing many projects in Palestine right now. One of them is a hospital… This is at the official level. I believe that we have a wide support among the Indian people.

President Trump is now trying to broker peace in various wars that are going on. He has also tried for ceasefire in Gaza.

When you say ceasefire, this means that there are two armies fighting against each other, which is not true. Mr Trump says he is the peacemaker, and he even wants everyone to nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize. But he called for ethnic cleansing when he asked Egypt and Jordan to take Palestinians from Gaza.

In 1956, American President Dwight Eisenhower made a phone call to Israeli President Ben Gurion to withdraw from Sinai. If Mr Trump intends to put an end to the Israeli occupation…it’s going to take him just a call now.

Do you think India can also play a role?

India is there for us. India can exercise some political pressure on Israel to put an end to this conflict. India can provide humanitarian aid and also leverage its relation with Israel. And we are waiting. We are discussing this issue with the Indian government.

India and every single (country) around the world is talking about a two-state solution. Is it fair to allow the Palestinians to build their state in only 22 per cent of their historical land?