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Asaduddin Owaisi, the President of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), has accused Israel of occupying Palestinian land for the past 80 years amid the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israeli forces, which has resulted in nearly 5,600 casualties. Owaisi made this statement while discussing the upcoming assembly elections in Rajasthan, emphasizing that Israel has been in control of Palestinian territory for eight decades.
The conflict escalated when Hamas militants from Palestine entered Israel on October 7 using various means, leading to a severe confrontation between Israel and Gaza. In retaliation, Israel launched extensive airstrikes and ground invasions into Gaza, extending the conflict to its 14th day.
Israel had cut off the supply of food, electricity, and water to the Gaza Strip until recently, with aid deliveries from around the world beginning to enter Gaza through Egypt's Rafah border on Saturday.
Owaisi also cited Mahatma Gandhi, saying, "I would like to tell the people of our nation that Mahatma Gandhi had said that Palestine is the land of Arabs just like England is the land of the English and France is the land of the French." He stressed that India has consistently supported the Palestinian people and their right to have an independent nation.
Owaisi, in a post, had previously expressed support for Palestine and Gaza and condemned violence, sharing an image of Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque with the caption "Hands of GAZA, Falasteen Zindabad. Violence Murdabaad (mostly attributed to Israel or any group/organization). Masjid e Aqsa Aabad Rahe."
Speaking to the news agency ANI, Owaisi highlighted the dire situation in Gaza, where a significant portion of the population has been made homeless due to the conflict. He lamented the silence of the world community and emphasized that Israel's occupation and its associated atrocities have continued for seven decades without adequate global intervention.
Furthermore, Owaisi shared an old video of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee expressing support for the Palestinian cause. He mentioned that a previous leader from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had spoken about the acquisition of land worth billions in Palestine. He also noted that during the BJP's rule, a postage stamp was released in solidarity with Palestine, suggesting that the stance shifted when the Indian National Congress came into power.
