India committed to Palestinian people's struggle

India has said it is committed towards the "historic and consistent" support for the Palestinian people's struggle for a homeland of their own so that they can take their "rightful" place in the comity of nations.

India's expression of support came during a meeting between External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in New York on Thursday.

Abbas briefed Mukherjee on the situation in the Middle East, especially on the ongoing peace process, during half an hour meeting which, officials said, was held in a "warm and cordial" atmosphere.

Mukhrejee stressed on India's conviction that the decade old Palestinian-Israeli conflict should be resolved through a mutually acceptable solution.

Force, he said, cannot resolve what is essentially a political issue.