Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is on a four day visit to India from May 14 to 17.
India can play "a very important role" in resolving the dispute between Palestine and Israel, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said yesterday, on the eve of his talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi here.
President Abbas, who is being hosted by India ahead of PM Modi's first ever visit to Israel, said New Delhi's role will have significance as it has good relations with both the countries.
"There should be a role for India in making peace in our region. India has played this role (by supporting the Palestinian cause) and we are looking forward that India continues to play the same role," he said while delivering a lecture here.
"We know very well that India has good relations with Israel and Palestine. So India can play a very important role in bringing peace (between Israel and Palestine)," he said.
He said he will ask PM Modi tomorrow to use India's "good offices" in bringing in peace between Israel and Palestine.
Palestine is against any kind of military intervention to resolve the dispute, said President Abbas who will also be meeting his Indian counterpart President Pranab Mukherjee today.
President Abbas' comments assume significance as PM Modi is slated to visit Israel in a couple of months, which will be the first by an Indian Prime Minister.
India has been a vociferous supporter of the Palestinian cause.
The Palestinian president said during his meeting with PM Modi and President Mukherjee, he will also apprise them of the ongoing political developments in Palestine and the Middle East.
Condemning terrorism by ISIS, President Abbas said ending the "Israeli occupation" will greatly help in countering terrorism in the region.
"So, achieving this justice is the basis for success in fighting terrorism being practised by terrorist groups such as ISIS in the region. We condemn all their barbaric activities," he said.
The Middle East region, President Abbas said, is living in a state of instability and conflict, especially after the Arab Spring, which is "castastrophic" for the region and its people.
"It has inflicted severest damage to the stability and integrity of the social fabric," he held.
President Abbas also pitched for an agreement with India on religious tourism as Palestine has several religious shrines.
The Palestinian president is on a four day visit to India from May 14 to 17.