Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari
After many disruptions and protests, the government today conceded opposition demands for a discussion on the Gaza violence in Parliament.
The violence in West Bank and Gaza is likely to be discussed in the Rajya Sabha on Monday. A resolution is also expected.
On Wednesday, Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj had rejected demands for a discussion saying, "We have diplomatic ties with (Israel and Palestine). Any discourteous reference to any friendly country can impact our relations with them."
The government capitulated after two days of adjournments in the upper house.
Today, Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari said though the matter was included in the agenda yesterday, it was not taken up after a request from Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, the Leader of the House.
This provoked immediate protests from the Congress and other opposition parties. Members said the crisis concerned India as many of its citizens earned their living in West Asia.
Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma insisted that once a matter has been included in the list of business, it becomes the property of the House and must be listed the very next day.
Left member Sitaram Yechury backed Mr Sharma, questioning the grounds on which Mr Jaitley had asked for a Gaza discussion to be dropped.
Members also pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also condemned the violence from Brazil, where he attended a BRICS conference.
The Chairman said he was "unable to accede to the request" of the government as he did not find any "infirmity in the notice for discussion given by" the Leader of the Opposition and others.
Fighting since Israel launched Operation Protective Shield on July 8 to stamp out rocket fire by Gaza militants has killed 230 Palestinians, many of them women and children, and one Israeli.
Israel has carried out more than 1,750 attacks in Gaza, mostly air strikes, the army says, and militants have fired nearly 1,400 rockets, 1,048 of which have hit the Jewish state.
On Wednesday, Israeli shelling killed four Palestinian boys on a Gaza beach. Israel and Hamas said they would cease attacks for five hours on Thursday for a humanitarian truce requested by the United Nations.