Editor's Pick | Gaza crisis: India bats for two-state solution

India reiterated the need for a two-state solution to end the current Israel-Palestinian crisis, during a ministerial meeting between India and the United States on Friday. The Foreign and Defence Ministers of both countries focused on the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and called for the “immediate release” of those being held hostage in the Gaza Strip. There was no mention of a ceasefire; instead, India and the U.S. called for “humanitarian pauses” in the conflict. Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra added that India had proposed the “two-state solution and early resumption of dialogue” as a way forward in dealing with the crisis. “Noting horrific terrorist attacks against Israel, the Ministers reiterated that India and the U.S. stand with Israel against terrorism and called for adherence to international humanitarian law, including with regard to the protection of civilians. They called for the immediate release of all remaining hostages,” read a joint statement issued after the ‘2+2’ Ministerial meeting. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s interactions in Delhi were a continuation of his diplomacy on the Israel-Palestinian crisis which has taken a heavy humanitarian toll due to the continued Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, at least 10,000 people, many of them women and children, have been killed in Israel’s onslaught after the Hamas attack. The joint statement reflected Mr. Blinken’s recent arguments made during a meeting with Arab Foreign Ministers in Amman on November 4, where the U.S. had refused to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. The ‘2+2’ meeting was led by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on the Indian side, and Mr. Blinken and U.S. Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin. A broad range of issues, including the India-Canada spat over Khalistani groups and the upcoming election in Bangladesh, were discussed. Mr. Blinken and Mr. Austin met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday evening. “Our shared belief in democracy, pluralism and the rule of law underpins our mutually beneficial cooperation in diverse sectors. The India-U.S. partnership is truly a force for global good,” Mr. Modi said in a message. “They expressed support for humanitarian pauses and committed to continue close diplomatic coordination, including with key partners in the region,” the statement said. In an editorial, The Hindu had pointed out that if Israel presses on, turning Gaza into an open prison of fire, it can have disastrous consequences for West Asia. “The only country that can rein Israel in is its patron, the U.S. But unfortunately, the Biden administration, despite all its rhetoric about rights and a rules-based order, is yet to act. It should tell Israel that it cannot continue to kill Palestinian civilians in the name of its right to defend itself. Israel must be made to cease fire immediately,” it had said. The Hindu’s Editorials Over the top: On Mahua Moitra and panel’s disqualification recommendation Unending ordeal: On continuing acts of ragging The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee on Thursday adopted a report recommending the expulsion of Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra from the Lower House over a “cash-for-query” allegation. How many members voted in favour of the report? 5 6 7 8 To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 11 November 2023 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( Gaza crisis: India bats for two-state solution India reiterated the need for a [two-state solution]( to end the current Israel-Palestinian crisis, during a ministerial meeting between India and the United States on Friday. The Foreign and Defence Ministers of both countries focused on the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and called for the “immediate release” of those being held hostage in the Gaza Strip. There was no mention of a ceasefire; instead, India and the U.S. called for “humanitarian pauses” in the conflict. Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra added that India had proposed the “two-state solution and early resumption of dialogue” as a way forward in dealing with the crisis. “Noting horrific terrorist attacks against Israel, the Ministers reiterated that India and the U.S. stand with Israel against terrorism and called for adherence to international humanitarian law, including with regard to the protection of civilians. They called for the immediate release of all remaining hostages,” read a joint statement issued after the ‘2+2’ Ministerial meeting. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s interactions in Delhi were a continuation of his diplomacy on the Israel-Palestinian crisis which has taken a heavy humanitarian toll due to the continued Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, at least 10,000 people, many of them women and children, have been killed in Israel’s onslaught after the Hamas attack. The joint statement reflected Mr. Blinken’s recent arguments made during a meeting with Arab Foreign Ministers in Amman on November 4, where the U.S. had refused to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. The ‘2+2’ meeting was led by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on the Indian side, and Mr. Blinken and U.S. Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin. A broad range of issues, including the India-Canada spat over Khalistani groups and the upcoming election in Bangladesh, were discussed. Mr. Blinken and Mr. Austin met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday evening. “Our shared belief in democracy, pluralism and the rule of law underpins our mutually beneficial cooperation in diverse sectors. The India-U.S. partnership is truly a force for global good,” Mr. Modi said in a message. “They expressed support for humanitarian pauses and committed to continue close diplomatic coordination, including with key partners in the region,” the statement said. In an editorial, The Hindu had pointed out that if Israel presses on, [turning Gaza into an open prison of fire, it can have]( disastrous consequences for West Asia. “The only country that can rein Israel in is its patron, the U.S. But unfortunately, the Biden administration, despite all its rhetoric about rights and a rules-based order, is yet to act. It should tell Israel that it cannot continue to kill Palestinian civilians in the name of its right to defend itself. Israel must be made to cease fire immediately,” it had said. The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][Over the top: On Mahua Moitra and panel’s disqualification recommendation]( [Arrow][Unending ordeal: On continuing acts of ragging]( The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee on Thursday adopted a report recommending the expulsion of Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra from the Lower House over a “cash-for-query” allegation. How many members voted in favour of the report? - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here](. [Sign up for free]( Today’s Best Reads [[Watch | ‘Rahul Gandhi is as vindictive as PM Narendra Modi’: Asaduddin Owaisi] Watch | ‘Rahul Gandhi is as vindictive as PM Narendra Modi’: Asaduddin Owaisi]( [[Stubble trouble | Decoding the smog blanket over Delhi] Stubble trouble | Decoding the smog blanket over Delhi]( [[Telangana Assembly elections | Low expectations and limited hopes] Telangana Assembly elections | Low expectations and limited hopes]( [[Sanatana Dharma propounds ‘abominable, pernicious, illegal and evil practices’, Nilgiris MP A. Raja tells Madras High Court] Sanatana Dharma propounds ‘abominable, pernicious, illegal and evil practices’, Nilgiris MP A. Raja tells Madras High Court]( Copyright @ 2023, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. 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