Students protest against India’s growing ties with Israel

Angry Palestinian students on Tuesday protested against India’s growing friendship with Israel at a university campus here today while President Pranab Mukherjee was there, forcing cancellation of one of his engagements.

Hundreds of students shouted slogans and carried placards critical of India’s ties with the Jewish state while Mukherjee was being honoured by Al-Quds university at Abu Dis with an honorary degree and hailed as a “Knight of Peace”. 

After the university function, Mukherjee was to inaugurate a secondary school for boys named after Jawaharlal Nehru. But the function was called off due to the tense situation. 

Mukherjee soon left for Israel, a short journey by road, on the first-ever visit by an Indian President.

The protesting students carried placards with slogans “India why do you cooperate with the occupiers (Israel)”, “Indian President <g data-gr-id="16">raise</g> your voice against Israel’s aggression”, and “Indian President don’t keep quiet against the butchers slaying Palestinians” as Mukherjee was leaving the campus here in East Jerusalem.

The demonstration came in the middle of heightened tensions and more killings between Israelis and Palestinians which have resulted in hundreds of casualties, including some on Tuesday.

Inside the university auditorium, where Palestine Prime Minister Dr Rami Hamadallah was among those present, Mukherjee was hailed as “a Knight of Peace” and loudly cheered when he mentioned all the help rendered by India to the Palestinians.