New Delhi: Observing that India valued its relations with Israel, External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh today (June 1, 2004) said it would be "unrealistic" to find a solution to the West Asia crisis without Palestinian President Yasser Arafat.

India's relations with Israel would "not be at the expense of sacrificing the legitimate rights and aspirations of the Palestinian people", Singh told a press conference.

Maintaining that India's ties with Palestine preceded "our Independence", he said even the United States and other countries were finding the happenings in that region unacceptable.

"To find a solution without Arafat is unrealistic," he said.