Owaisi Criticizes Gaza Peace Plan, Calls It a 'Real Estate Project'
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the Gaza peace plan, alleging a lack of clarity and transparency. In an interview with ANI, Owaisi compared the peace process to a real estate project, emphasizing the lack of accountability for the significant loss of Palestinian lives.
Owaisi referred to media reports that estimated 65,000 Palestinians were killed, including 20,000 children and 15,000 women. He accused Israel of committing genocide and questioned the roles of key international figures in the peace process. “Tell me, what will Tony Blair do? What will Trump do in the board that will be formed? Where is the Palestinian Authority? There is no clarity on where the Israeli army committing genocide will stop, and what will happen to the Palestinian state? So, we feel they are operating there like a real estate project. But what about the perpetrators of genocide? Will they be punished or not?” he asked.
When asked about the Gaza peace and the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, Owaisi also criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s praise of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “And most disturbingly, how can the Prime Minister of India praise the leadership of Netanyahu, who has a warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) against him? Why is the Prime Minister praising him? This is a completely genocidal regime. The BJP is repeatedly propagating that Israel helps us, but no one helps. We pay them; no one does it for free,” he said.
Owaisi, who has been part of delegations sent by India to partner countries to highlight India’s stance on terrorism, stated that his party is always ready to present the country’s side. “We did not go for the Prime Minister but for the country,” he emphasized. He also addressed former Home Minister P Chidambaram’s remarks on India’s response after the 26/11 terror attacks, saying, “The government’s strategy at that time was different. Today’s strategy is different. So, they were the ruling party. So that party should substantiate it.”
India carried out Operation Sindoor in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. Owaisi supported this operation but warned that Pakistan is unlikely to desist from mischief and misdeeds. “We support Operation Sindoor… They (Pakistan) will commit misdeeds again, if not today, then tomorrow. We need to remain alert on this issue,” he said.
Owaisi also addressed the relationship between his party and the BJP, stating, “The BJP or the Prime Minister are not bigger than the country. We are always ready to present the country’s side. Political battle will continue to be fought over ideology, and there cannot be two sides of the ocean. But the BJP is not bigger than the country. Neither is the Prime Minister bigger than the country.”
On a personal note, Owaisi mentioned his interactions with BJP ministers. “Before Operation Sindoor, I issued a statement asking why you didn’t invite me to the all-party meeting? The Home Minister called me and asked me to come. I met with Giriraj Singh about the Malegaon powerlooms. Giriraj Singh spoke with us for an hour. He’s a minister, shouldn’t I go to him for work related to textiles? …I’m politically opposed to you, but I want to get work done, and you’re in the government,” he explained.
In conclusion, Owaisi’s comments highlight the complex and often contentious nature of international peace negotiations, especially in regions like Gaza, where the stakes are high and the issues deeply rooted in historical and political contexts.
