Palestine Wants India To Shape Peace

For decades, Palestine looked to India as one of its most dependable diplomatic partners. Today, as New Delhi deepens its strategic relationship with Israel while maintaining support for a two-state solution, the Palestinian leadership is adapting its message rather than resisting the shift.

That was the central theme of Ambassador Abdullah M. A. Abushawesh’s conversation with StratNews Global on The Gist, in which he repeatedly described India not as a country that should choose between Israel and Palestine, but as one uniquely positioned to influence both.

“I trust that India can be a game changer,” he said, pointing to New Delhi’s growing global influence, leadership of the Global South and close relations with both sides of the conflict.

The ambassador made no criticism of India’s expanding partnership with Israel. Instead, he argued that strong ties with both countries should become a diplomatic asset.

“We want everyone to have good relations with both sides,” he said, adding that such relationships should ultimately be used “to put an end to the Israeli occupation.”

A recurring theme throughout the interview was the battle over public perception. Abushawesh argued that the Palestinian narrative has been eclipsed by the events of October 7, 2023, leaving much of the world unaware of the historical context that preceded Hamas’ attack.

“‘October 7 did not happen in a vacuum,’” he said, echoing a phrase used by UN Secretary-General António Guterres. In his view, focusing exclusively on the attacks ignores decades of conflict, displacement and occupation that continue to shape Palestinian grievances.

He was equally critical of what he described as the dominance of Western media narratives, claiming Palestinians have struggled to present their own case internationally.

“We are not short of history. We are not short of international law. We are just short of the camera,” he said in one of the interview’s most striking remarks.

On the future of Gaza, Abushawesh reaffirmed the Palestinian Authority’s longstanding position that governance should rest with “one government, one political system and one legitimate authority”, while reiterating its commitment to a negotiated two-state solution and peaceful resistance.

The ambassador also welcomed India’s recent reiteration of support for a two-state solution at the United Nations, describing it as evidence that bilateral ties remain strong despite changing regional dynamics.

Behind the ambassador’s comments lies a broader diplomatic reality. India today enjoys unprecedented strategic cooperation with Israel across defence, technology and agriculture, yet it has stopped short of abandoning its traditional support for Palestinian statehood. Rather than asking New Delhi to roll back those ties, Palestine appears to be making a different calculation: that India’s credibility with both sides gives it greater potential to influence the search for peace.

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Whether that expectation proves realistic is another question. But the message from Ramallah is becoming clearer. Palestine no longer sees India’s relationship with Israel as an obstacle. It sees it as leverage—provided New Delhi chooses to use it.

Watch the full interview as Ambassador Abushawesh explains Palestine’s position, India’s role and why he believes the Palestinian story deserves to be heard in full.