Amid the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, the Palestinian ambassador Adnan Abu Al Haija recently said that he hopes for a good approach from India. In an exclusive interview with Sreenivasan Jain for News24, Adnan Abu Al Haija spoke on the current situation in Palestine and the century-old conflict.

Over the terrible hospital attack in Gaza where more than 500 died, Israel has been showered with allegations that it has refused calling it a failed rocket launch by Islamic jihadi, a Palestinian militant outfit. Reacting to the same, the ambassador said on News24 that Israel has been created by lies so there’s nothing new. Addressing the hospital attack as a massacre, he claimed that Israel had threatened the director of the hospital three days back to flee the patients and shut the hospital. Citing Israel’s involvement, Mr. Haija also mentioned two small rocket attacks just a day before the hospital attack and declared it a planned incident.

When asked by News24 if there’s any evidence like remains of the rocket that may prove his claim, the ambassador said, “We’re still in massacre.”

On News24’s question of attacks on Palestine triggered by bombings on Israel by Hamas, Mr. Haija said that if there had been no occupation, there would have been no Hamas, no attack.

Sreenivasan further asked if he condemned the attack on Israel, answering to which the ambassador emphasized condemning the occupation by Israel. He also added that he condemns the killing of civilians in Palestine and Israel and dared Israelis to say so.

The ambassador condemned the attack on Israel without naming the militant group’s involvement while discussing the hospital attack in Palestine as a pre-planned massacre by Israel and blaming it for massive killings of the innocents.

“Hamas’ policies and actions do not represent the Palestinian people”, said the Palestinian President but later this line was removed from the report asked Sreenivasan to which Mr. Haija blamed it on a reporter adding that it might not be the President’s statement but the reporter’s words.

On what he feels about his nation being ‘isolated’ by the world and India’s stance, the ambassador stated that he still believes India will see it from a neutral perspective considering its old relations with Palestine.

देखिये फिलिस्तीनी राजदूत अदनान अबू अलहैजा का ख़ास इंटरव्यू

◆ देखिये Dateline India with @SreenivasanJain
#SuperExclusive #IsraelHamasWar #DatelineIndia | Adnan Abu Al Haija https://t.co/wkuKS0qVkQ

— News24 (@news24tvchannel) October 18, 2023

About how he sees Israel’s right to retaliate because it had been attacked, he reacted by saying that Israel doesn’t need a reason to attack. It has been attacking since the beginning.

Over questions of Iran funding this attack on Israel, he said “We didn’t find anything that supports this allegation but of course, they’ve extended their support after it and that’s known to all.”

He further stressed going through a peace process while recalling the century-old conflict over Jerusalem and concluded his statement with a sharp attack, “Israelis are always looking for enemies and are responsible for all the crises they’re going through.”