If Middle East conflict spreads beyond Gaza...: Omar

October 24, 2023 18:10

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said if the conflict in the Middle East spread beyond Gaza, a large number of Indians working in the region will be affected.

"If the conflict drags on, we will definitely get affected. No other country has more nationals working in that region than we have. If the conflict spreads beyond Gaza, our people will be affected by it.

"That is why we want the war to stop, the bombings should stop. The United Nations (UN) and other countries will have to do justice. They cannot have different rules for different countries," Abdullah told reporters at the party headquarters in Srinagar.

Asked if the UN had maintained silence on the ongoing conflict, the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir said while the global body has spoken about the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza, it has not been taken as seriously as it should have been.

"The UN is not silent, but unfortunately not much attention is being paid to what it is saying. As far as I saw, the UN has spoken about the humanitarian crisis there, but Israel is getting so much support from the US, the UK and other countries that we do not see as much impact of the UN as we would have liked," he added.

Meanwhile, People's Democratic Party (PDP) accused the BJP-led central government of adopting double standards on the situation in the Middle East by sending aid material to the Palestinians, but not allowing peaceful protests in their support.

"Millions of people are coming out on the streets across the world, but we are not allowed to protest peacefully. I don't understand the double standards. The MEA spokesperson... expressed solidarity with the Palestinians and the Government of India also sent 42 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Gaza Strip via Egypt.

"But we are not allowed to even hold protests here in support of the Palestinians," PDP president's media advisor, Iltija Mufti, told reporters.

Mufti alleged the PDP was being selectively targeted and was not allowed to hold any peaceful political activity. -- PTI

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