Palestine Envoy Hopes India-Built West Bank Hospital Ready in Two Years
The hospital is part of India’s commitment to establish a speciality hospital, an Artificial Limb Fitment Centre and a Vocational Training Institute for Palestinians, announced by external affairs minister S. Jaishankar last month.
New Delhi:Palestinian ambassador to India Abdullah M. Abu Shawesh on Wednesday said India will build a speciality hospital in the West Bank and expressed hope that the project would be completed within the next two years.
The hospital is part of India’s commitment to establish a speciality hospital, an Artificial Limb Fitment Centre and a Vocational Training Institute for Palestinians, announced by external affairs minister S. Jaishankar last month.
Shawesh said India had finalised the paperwork for the hospital and described the project as significant at a time when Palestine’s health and education systems were under severe strain.
“It is very significant for both of us because it came at a very critical time,” the envoy said, adding that Palestinians were facing a devastating situation and looked to India for assistance.
“India yesterday finalised the paperwork regarding them building a new hospital in the West Bank... I hope that within the next two years this project will be finished and the patients will be benefited,” he said.
The envoy also spoke about the upcoming parliamentary election in Israel, saying Palestinians were monitoring the developments and were once again being made to “pay the price” for Israeli domestic politics.
On US President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” initiative announced earlier this year, Shawesh described it as a step towards “resolving” the conflict in Gaza but said it was not an initiative for building lasting peace there.
The Palestinian envoy also accused Israel of granting impunity to “extremist Israeli settlers” and pursuing policies aimed at frightening, dispossessing and ultimately driving Palestinians from their homeland.
The Palestinian Embassy cited the annexation of the occupied West Bank, settlement expansion, funding for settlements and settlers and alleged settler violence among its concerns.
Meanwhile, India reiterated its longstanding support for a negotiated two-state solution and its support for the Palestinian people during talks in Ramallah on Tuesday between external affairs ministry secretary Sripriya Ranganathan and Palestinian foreign minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin.
The two sides reviewed India-Palestine relations, including development cooperation. India also stressed the need to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza through sustained assistance, dialogue and diplomacy.
Shahin appreciated India’s support through development projects, capacity-building programmes, scholarships, humanitarian assistance and contributions to Palestinian institutions and UN agencies.
