On Board Special Aircraft: India today (Nov 13, 2004) affirmed that its relations with Israel would not come in the way of its continuing support to the Palestinian cause and hoped that the Middle East peace process would eventually lead to establishment of a Palestinian State.

"We have good relations with Israel which does not and should not come in the way of our expressing sympathy and our support to Palestinian people," External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh told reporters on his way back from Cairo after attending the funeral of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

"Our relations with the Palestinians remain strong. This does not mean that it affects our relationship with Israel," he said adding it was Congress Government, which raised the level of ties with Tel Aviv to Ambassadorship in 1992 when P V Narasimha Rao was the Prime Minister.

Observing that India attached great importance to its ties with Palestinians, he noted that the transition post-Arafat has taken place in a very orderly, peaceful and democratic manner and "I wish them all health, good luck and great success."

He said India hoped that the new Palestinian leadership would be able to arrange orderly elections within the next two months and thereafter, work on the Quartet road map that would eventually lead to the establishment of a Palestinian State.