'BRICS Is Vital, Hopes For Full Membership With India's Support': Palestinian Envoy

Palestine on Tuesday expressed its interest in joining the BRICS grouping and is actively engaging with member countries to seek support for its bid.

Speaking to ANI, Palestinian Ambassador to India, Abdullah

Abu Shawesh, said Palestine sees BRICS as a vital platform and is hopeful of receiving India’s backing for full membership.

“BRICS is a very important platform, and we look forward to being a full part of this. We are already in discussion with all the BRICS members, and we look forward to India supporting our request,” Shawesh said.

The envoy noted that Palestine greatly values India’s role in international forums and considers New Delhi a key player in shaping global consensus.

The BRICS bloc — comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — recently expanded to include new members, reflecting its growing influence among emerging economies. Palestine believes that membership would strengthen its voice on global matters, particularly concerning its ongoing conflict with Israel and its call for wider international recognition.

During the interview, Shawesh also condemned Israel’s military actions in Gaza, calling them “genocide.” He said that Palestinians have been under continuous attack for nearly two years, with devastating consequences.

“We are talking about 725 days of continuous massacres, genocide, textbook genocide conducted by the Israeli occupation in Gaza. Around 65,000 to 66,000 innocent Palestinians have lost their lives. Gaza lies under rubble, and the majority of people are displaced,” he said.

He stressed that peace in the Middle East depends on Israel respecting international law, and criticised what he sees as international leniency towards Israel.

“As long as Israel is being treated as a country or as a state above international law and has full impunity, the peace will not be brought back to the Middle East,” the envoy said.

On the issue of hostages, Shawesh maintained that both Palestinian and Israeli detainees must be released. He claimed that nearly 12,000 Palestinians are currently imprisoned in Israel, many of whom, he said, face daily mistreatment.

“Our position is clear: hostages should not be taken at all, whether Palestinian or Israeli,” he concluded.

(With inputs from ANI)