NEW DELHI: Dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable paths to achieve peace in the Middle East, India said on Wednesday as the situation deteriorated in Israel and Palestine, and added that "intermittent pauses in hostilities” are "not enough
India's permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, addressing an open debate in the UN Security Council, said that there is no substitute to peace.
"Intermittent pauses in hostilities are not enough to address the scale of humanitarian challenges confronting the people, who grapple daily with acute shortages of food and fuel, inadequate medical services and lack of access to education,” Harish said at the open debate on the 'Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question,' according to the PTI.
He said, "The way ahead is clear, and India has been consistent in this regard. The ongoing human suffering must not be allowed to continue. Humanitarian assistance needs to be facilitated in a safe, sustained and timely manner. There is no substitute to peace. A ceasefire must be put in place. All hostages must be released. Dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable paths to achieving these objectives. There are no other fixes or solutions..."
He expressed optimism that a forthcoming UN conference regarding the Israel-Palestine situation would lead to "concrete steps" towards implementing a two-State solution .
During the Security Council debate under Pakistan's July presidency, Harish highlighted India's historic and robust relationship with its Palestinian counterparts.
"We have always stood by them and our commitment towards the Palestinian cause is unwavering," he stated, emphasising that India was the pioneer non-Arab nation to acknowledge Palestine's statehood.
Harish noted the critical health and educational circumstances in Gaza, citing WHO's assessment that approximately 95 per cent of Gaza's hospitals are either damaged or destroyed.
According to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, he reported that over 650,000 children have been without education for more than 20 months.
Harish acknowledged the scheduled High-Level International Conference on implementing a two-State solution from July 28-30.
"While engaging in a forward-leaning and constructive manner, it is our hope that this conference would pave the way for concrete steps towards achieving a two-State solution," Harish said.
He indicated India's willingness to support initiatives aimed at developing political prospects that restore Palestinian hope and achieve lasting Middle East peace .
The high-level conference, jointly led by Saudi Arabia and France, was originally set for June 17-20 but was delayed due to regional tensions.
UN secretary general Antonio Guterres emphasised the importance of maintaining the two-State solution perspective "with all the terrible things we are witnessing in Gaza and the West Bank."
"And for those that doubt about the two-state solution, I ask: What is the alternative? Is it a one-state solution in which either the Palestinians are expelled or the Palestinians will be forced to live in their land without rights? That would be totally unacceptable. I firmly believe that it is the duty of the international community to keep the two-State solution alive and then to materialise the conditions to make it happen," he said.
General Assembly president Philemon Yang described the international conference as a vital opportunity "we must seize to chart an irreversible path towards the implementation of the two-State solution. It is imperative that this conference succeeds."
India reaffirmed its position that lasting peace requires a two-State solution, establishing a sovereign, viable and independent Palestinian State within agreed borders, coexisting peacefully with Israel.
India aims to create a "tangible impact" on Palestinian daily life through various sector projects, currently managing initiatives worth over USD 40 million, according to Harish.
India's permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, addressing an open debate in the UN Security Council, said that there is no substitute to peace.
"Intermittent pauses in hostilities are not enough to address the scale of humanitarian challenges confronting the people, who grapple daily with acute shortages of food and fuel, inadequate medical services and lack of access to education,” Harish said at the open debate on the 'Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question,' according to the PTI.
He said, "The way ahead is clear, and India has been consistent in this regard. The ongoing human suffering must not be allowed to continue. Humanitarian assistance needs to be facilitated in a safe, sustained and timely manner. There is no substitute to peace. A ceasefire must be put in place. All hostages must be released. Dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable paths to achieving these objectives. There are no other fixes or solutions..."
#WATCH | New York: India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Harish P., delivered India's statement at the UN Security Council Quarterly Open Debate on the Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.
— ANI (@ANI) July 24, 2025
He said, "... The way ahead is… pic.twitter.com/nGS5Fd8jhQ
He expressed optimism that a forthcoming UN conference regarding the Israel-Palestine situation would lead to "concrete steps" towards implementing a two-State solution .
During the Security Council debate under Pakistan's July presidency, Harish highlighted India's historic and robust relationship with its Palestinian counterparts.
"We have always stood by them and our commitment towards the Palestinian cause is unwavering," he stated, emphasising that India was the pioneer non-Arab nation to acknowledge Palestine's statehood.
Harish noted the critical health and educational circumstances in Gaza, citing WHO's assessment that approximately 95 per cent of Gaza's hospitals are either damaged or destroyed.
According to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, he reported that over 650,000 children have been without education for more than 20 months.
Harish acknowledged the scheduled High-Level International Conference on implementing a two-State solution from July 28-30.
"While engaging in a forward-leaning and constructive manner, it is our hope that this conference would pave the way for concrete steps towards achieving a two-State solution," Harish said.
He indicated India's willingness to support initiatives aimed at developing political prospects that restore Palestinian hope and achieve lasting Middle East peace .
The high-level conference, jointly led by Saudi Arabia and France, was originally set for June 17-20 but was delayed due to regional tensions.
UN secretary general Antonio Guterres emphasised the importance of maintaining the two-State solution perspective "with all the terrible things we are witnessing in Gaza and the West Bank."
"And for those that doubt about the two-state solution, I ask: What is the alternative? Is it a one-state solution in which either the Palestinians are expelled or the Palestinians will be forced to live in their land without rights? That would be totally unacceptable. I firmly believe that it is the duty of the international community to keep the two-State solution alive and then to materialise the conditions to make it happen," he said.
General Assembly president Philemon Yang described the international conference as a vital opportunity "we must seize to chart an irreversible path towards the implementation of the two-State solution. It is imperative that this conference succeeds."
India reaffirmed its position that lasting peace requires a two-State solution, establishing a sovereign, viable and independent Palestinian State within agreed borders, coexisting peacefully with Israel.
India aims to create a "tangible impact" on Palestinian daily life through various sector projects, currently managing initiatives worth over USD 40 million, according to Harish.
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