Support for Palestine
Support for Palestine: The Palestine issue lies at the center of the war involving Iran. At the recent BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi, member countries put aside their differences and supported an independent Palestinian state. This was an important step. However, the statement supported a two-state solution. Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Muslim Brotherhood do not fully support this idea.
Palestine Debate
These groups believe a two-state solution treats Palestinians unfairly. They give the example of South Africa. After apartheid ended, South Africa did not divide the country into racial states. Instead, it gave equal rights to black, white, Indian, and coloured communities. Rwanda also stayed united after conflict between Hutus and Tutsis. Before British colonial rule, Muslims, Christians, and Jews lived together peacefully in Palestine. Iran fears that a two-state solution will leave Palestinians weak while Israel stays militarily powerful.
BRICS Shift
Many countries have passed resolutions on Palestine before. However, the BRICS statement carried special importance for two reasons. First, India changed its tone after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had strongly supported Israel earlier in the war. Second, the statement tested the UAE’s support for Palestine after reports claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly visited Abu Dhabi during the conflict with Iran. Iran likely accepted the two-state wording because it wanted India and the UAE to rethink their close ties with Israel.
Palestine Support
The BRICS ministers called for a ceasefire in Gaza. They demanded full humanitarian access for aid. They also supported full UN membership for Palestine. The ministers backed an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, including Gaza and the West Bank, with East Jerusalem as its capital. They also asked international organizations and financial institutions to give Palestine proper representation.
Gaza Ceasefire Call
The ministers strongly criticized Israeli actions in Gaza. They expressed concern over Israeli attacks and the blocking of humanitarian aid. They condemned violations of international humanitarian law. They also condemned the use of starvation as a weapon during war.
The ministers demanded an immediate and permanent ceasefire. They asked Israel to withdraw its forces from Gaza and other occupied territories. They also demanded the release of hostages and detainees held illegally. In addition, they called for uninterrupted humanitarian aid to Gaza. The language of the statement sounded closer to the positions of China and Russia, although India announced it as chair of the meeting.
Iran’s Resistance
Since the 1979 Revolution, Iran has strongly supported Palestine. This support brought Iran into conflict with Israel. Some analysts believe American neoconservatives and their allies wanted to weaken independent Muslim states in the Middle East. Wars and foreign intervention badly damaged countries like Iraq, Libya, Sudan, and Syria. Iran, however, continued to resist American and Israeli pressure.
Global Opinion Shift
Iran’s resistance also influenced global opinion on Palestine. In Britain, the High Court recently ruled against the government’s ban on the activist group Palestine Action. The court said the ban violated freedom of expression and assembly. This decision created problems for Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who had supported strict action against pro-Palestinian protests.
Changing Positions
At the same time, India and the UAE adopted a softer position on Palestine during the BRICS meeting. Both countries had recently developed closer ties with Israel. Many observers believe Iran’s military and diplomatic resistance influenced this shift.
BRICS countries still hold different views on the Iran-Israel conflict. Even so, the New Delhi meeting showed growing support within the group for an independent Palestinian state.
Published in Dawn,19th May 2026
