Jammu, 09 April (H.S.): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said the US should exert some control over Israel to ensure the success of the ceasefire with Iran.

Amid Pakistan-facilitated peace talks to resolve the US-Iran conflict, he also said that Pakistan has done what others could not.

“The US should exert some control over Israel. The way they are conducting indiscriminate bombing campaigns in Lebanon and the manner in which innocent lives are being taken there how can a ceasefire possibly hold?” Abdullah told reporters here.

He said while the ceasefire was a welcome initiative, but if it fails, “the blame will be solely on Israel”.

“It will not be a fault of Iran or anyone else. So, the US should exert some restraint over Israel,” he added.

US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he had agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran as proposed by Pakistan.

However, the ceasefire has come under stress due to alleged violations by Israel, which launched strikes against Lebanon.

Asked about Trump’s fresh threat if talks with Iran failed, Abdullah said perhaps the US President himself doesn’t know what he is doing.

“He says one thing in the morning, another thing in the afternoon and the third one in the evening. The language that he uses is unbecoming of anyone let alone the US President. He ought to remind himself that he holds the office of the US President,” the J-K CM said.

He said if anyone else uses such language on social media, they will be blocked and their account seized.

“But because he is the US President, people fear him and there is no action against him,” he said.

Abdullah sought to know the point of issuing repeated threats.

“It was not Iran that initiated this war. The war was thrust upon Iran.First, tell us what was the actual objective of this war? After the ceasefire, the US has claimed a monumental victory, citing the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. But, the Strait was already open prior to the war and it was accessible to everyone, free of charge,” he said.

The chief minister said after the war, Iran has seized the opportunity to declare that a toll tax must now be paid for passing through the Strait.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar