Palestine recalls its Pakistan envoy for attending Hafiz Saeed event after India protests

Palestine has recalled its ambassador in Pakistan Walid Abu Ali after India took objection to his presence at a rally with 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed. The Indian government had denounced his attendance at the rally as ‘unacceptable.’

We are supporting India in its fight against terrorism and because of that my Government decided to directly call our Ambassador to go back home, not to be Palestine ambassador to Pak anymore (for sharing stage with Hafiz Saeed): Palestinian Ambassador to India Adnan Abu Al Haija pic.twitter.com/JMN9b2CXug

— ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2017

Palestinian Ambassador to India, Adnan Abu Al Haija was quoted by  The Hindu as saying that what the ambassador did was ’not acceptable to my government.’ Haija also said that Palestine has supported India’s fight against terror. [caption id=“attachment_4281811” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of JuD chief Hafiz Saeed. Reuters[/caption] The envoy has been asked to report back to Ramallah, Hindustan Times reported. On Friday, the envoy had reportedly attended a rally organized by the Difah-e-Pakistan Council, an association of religious and extremist groups led by Hafiz Saeed in Rawalpindi. The meeting generated sharp reactions from the foreign ministry , saying that it would take up the matter “strongly”. “Government of India has strongly conveyed to the Palestinian side that the Palestinian Ambassador in Pakistan’s association with terrorist Hafiz Saeed, who is proscribed by the United Nations. The concerns were conveyed both in New Delhi to the Palestinian Ambassador and in Ramallah to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, State of Palestine”, the MEA  press release read. The Palestinian side too had conveyed “deep regrets”, assuring India that they will take serious cognisance of their ambassador’s presence at the event. “Palestine highly values its relationship with India and stands with New Delhi in the war against terrorism, and will not engage with those who commit acts of terror against India,” it said. The controversy took place days after India, had voted in favour of a United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for the United States to drop its recent recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. With inputs from agencies