NEW DELHI: Palestine has recalled its Ambassador to Pakistan Walid Abu Ali for attending a public meeting organised in Pakistan by Lashkar e Taiba mentor and terrorist Hafiz Saeed.

New Delhi had taken strong objection to the Ambassadors presence at the meeting, and conveyed the same by summoning the Palestinian Ambassador to India.

Within hours a decision to recall Ali was taken with a detailed statement being issued by the Palestinian government. The full statement reads:

The Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Palestine stressed on the commitment of the State of Palestine and keenness to maintain strong and friendly relations with the Republic of India, as well as its support to the efforts made by the Republic of India in its war against terrorism and in that regard the State of Palestine affirms its stand with the Republic of India in dealing with its terrorist threats, as our nation's are real partners in the war against terrorism.

The State of Palestine highly appreciates India’s support in its tireless efforts to end the Israeli occupation and the establishment of an independent State of Palestine on the 1967 boarders with East Jerusalem as its capital and this is especially seen in the honorable position that India has taken by voting in favor of the resolution in the United Nation General Assembly last week.

On the basis of the principled and firm Palestinian position, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates considered the participation of our ambassador in Pakistan in a mass rally in solidarity with Jerusalem, held in Rawalpindi on Friday and in the presence of individuals accused of supporting terrorism is an unintended mistake, but not justified. Accordingly, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates under the direct instructions of the President of the State of Palestine to recall the Palestinian Ambassador to Pakistan immediately.