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India Welcomes Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire, Backs "Every Step Towards Peace"

India has officially welcomed the announced ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, expressing support for all steps toward peace. The statement from the Ministry of External Affairs comes after the US announced the ceasefire aimed at cooling tensions linked to the Iran conflict. When asked about Israel's request for India to designate Hamas as a terrorist organization, the MEA spokesperson stated such issues are addressed through established processes. Israel's Foreign Minister emphasized the importance of this designation during an interaction with global Hindu leaders, linking Hamas to other radical Islamist groups.

Key Points: India Welcomes Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire, Comments on Hamas

  • India supports Israel-Lebanon ceasefire
  • MEA addresses query on designating Hamas
  • Israel stresses importance of India labeling Hamas a terror group
  • Conflict involves Hezbollah attacks and Israeli retaliation
2 min read

India welcomes Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, every step leading towards peace

India welcomes the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, supports peace steps. MEA addresses Hamas designation query. Details on the regional conflict and diplomacy.

"We welcome the ceasefire. We welcome every step that leads towards peace. - Randhir Jaiswal"

New Delhi, April 17

India on Friday welcomed the ceasefire announced between Israel and Lebanon, expressing support for every step that leads towards peace.

While addressing a weekly media briefing in New Delhi on Friday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "We welcome the ceasefire. We welcome every step that leads towards peace."

MEA's statement comes after the US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon aimed at bringing a temporary cooling-off along another front linked to the Iran conflict.

Lebanon is not directly engaged in a formal war with Israel, but Hezbollah controls large parts of southern Lebanon and has carried out attacks on Israel, prompting retaliatory strikes. Unable to rein in Hezbollah, Lebanon has borne the brunt of Israeli retaliation.

When asked about Israel requesting India to designate Hamas as a terrorist organisation and India's policy about disarming Hamas, Jaiswal responded, "We have a process in place, and those issues are addressed under that process."

On Thursday, Israel's Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa'ar stressed the importance of Hamas being designated as a terror organisation by India during his interaction with a group of distinguished Hindu leaders from around the world.

"I stressed the importance of Hamas being designated as a terror organisation by India. Hamas has ties with all other radical Islamist terror organisations, including Lashkar-e-Taiba," Sa'ar during the virtual interaction.

The Israeli Foreign Minister stated that he was honoured to brief the group of distinguished leaders.

"I spoke about the positive trends in the strengthening of Israel's relations with India, and the great importance we attach to this relationship. I also spoke about the historic campaign Israel had been forced to fight for the past 2.5 years against radical Islam. Their declared objective is the elimination of Israel, and they act to achieve that goal," Saar posted on X.

"Israel demonstrated on all fronts that it has the upper hand. It dramatically weakened the terror octopus of radical Islam, headed by the Iranian regime. This struggle has, and will have, implications beyond the Middle East," he added.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Good move. Any ceasefire that saves innocent lives is welcome. But we must be very careful with Israel's request on Hamas. We have our own security concerns with cross-border terrorism from Pakistan. Our process should be thorough and based solely on our national interest.
A
Aman W
Peace is always better than war. The common people in Lebanon and Israel must be suffering. India's stance is correct. However, I hope our government also speaks up more for the humanitarian side, the civilians caught in the middle. Our voice carries moral weight in the world.
S
Sarah B
Interesting to see India's nuanced position. Supporting peace broadly but being cautious on specific designations. The Israel-India relationship is strategic, but India has strong ties with the Gulf nations too. It's a delicate diplomatic dance.
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Vikram M
The statement "We have a process in place" is classic diplomatic speak for "we'll decide on our own terms". Good. We shouldn't be pressured by any country, friend or not. Our policy on terrorism is well-defined and we should apply it uniformly.
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Karthik V
While peace is good, the article shows how complex the Middle East is. Hezbollah, Hamas, Iran... India must navigate this carefully. Our focus should remain on our citizens and our security. Buying Israeli tech is one thing, getting into their political battles is another.

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