Acting promptly on India’s objections, Palestine on Saturday recalled its Ambassador to Pakistan Waleed Abu Ali for attending a rally organised by Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief and 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed.

After visuals of Ambassador Walid Abu Ali sharing dais with Saeed at a rally organised by the Difah-e-Pakistan Council in liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi surfaced on Friday, India conveyed its strong protest through a demarche to the Palestinian Government, saying that the conduct of its envoy is “unacceptable”. India said that Saeed was a UN-proscribed terrorist who had masterminded several attacks against India including the 26/11 Mumbai terror strike.

Sources said Palestine has conveyed “deep regrets” over the gaffe and assured New Delhi about its support for fight against terrorism.

“We have recalled our Ambassador to Ramallah. What he did was not acceptable to our Government.

Palestine supports India in its fight against terror,” said Palestinian Ambassador to India Adnan Abu Al Haija. He, however, sought to clarify, saying, “Our Ambassador doesn't know who this person is. When he starts speaking, he asks who this person is. Our Ambassador's speech was after him (Saeed). He made his speech and left. For us, even that is not accepted and a decision has been taken.” Abu Al Haija added.

However, Abu Ali has been in Islamabad for the last five years and it is unlikely he would not know Saeed.

The spokesman for Palestine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, in a statement, termed the presence of its envoy in a rally that had “people accused of supporting terrorism” as an “unintended mistake, which cannot be justified”. The statement stressed about the keenness and commitment of Palestine in maintaining good relations with “friendly country” India while appreciating India's efforts in the war against terrorism and its position on the State of Palestine.

Incidentally, the Palestinian gaffe took place just a week after India voted in favour of a United Nations General Assembly resolution against the United States' decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. India has always backed Palestine at international foras and favours a two-state solution for the Israel-Palestine conflict, with East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine.

“The Government of India has strongly conveyed to the Palestinian side that the Palestinian Ambassador to Pakistan's association with terrorist Hafiz Saeed, who is proscribed by the United Nations, at an event in Rawalpindi on 29.12.2017, is unacceptable. The concerns were conveyed both in New Delhi to the Palestinian Ambassador and to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, State of Palestine,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said on Saturday.

He said the Palestinian side has conveyed deep regrets over the incident and assured India that they are taking serious cognizance of their Ambassador's presence at this event. “They have said they will deal with this matter appropriately. It was also conveyed that Palestine highly values its relationship with India and stands with us in the war against terrorism, and will not engage with those who commit acts of terror against India. We take note of the assurances given by the Palestine side,” Raveesh said.

Abu Al Haija clarified that Palestine is supportive of India's efforts to fight terrorism and in no way it can think of backing people who are trying to destablise India. He added that Palestine awaits the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Mr (Narendra) Modi is a great guest to Palestine, we welcome him there. I hope soon he will visit Palestine,” the envoy said. PM Modi is expected to visit Palestine next year.

Meanwhile, Palestinian envoy's action received with condemnation in India. Historian Irfan Habib aptly summed up the incident on Twitter and tweeted, “It is disgusting to see Palestinian Envoy in Pakistan sharing platform with Hafiz Saeed. Palestinian struggle was a secular one for homeland which later degenerated into a sectarian Islamist issue. Even scholars like Edward Said fought for it.”

Difah-e-Pakistan Council is an umbrella group of 40 religious and extremist groups in Pakistan, headed by Saeed. He had called the rally Rs Tahafuz Baitul Maqdas' to defend Jerusalem and protect Al Aqsa Mosque from Israel. During his meeting with Pak Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, earlier this month, he was reportedly reassured that Pakistan views the unresolved Palestine issue at par with the Kashmir issue.