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Palestinian envoy to Pakistan recalled after appearing with terror suspect

By Allen Cone
Terrorism suspect Hafiz Saeed appears at a protest against President Donald Trump's decision to accept Jersulalem as Israel's capital on December 8 in Lahore, Pakistan. In a rally Friday, he appeared with Walid Abu Ali, who is the Palestinian Authority's ambassador to Pakistan. Photo by Rahat Dar/EPA
Terrorism suspect Hafiz Saeed appears at a protest against President Donald Trump's decision to accept Jersulalem as Israel's capital on December 8 in Lahore, Pakistan. In a rally Friday, he appeared with Walid Abu Ali, who is the Palestinian Authority's ambassador to Pakistan. Photo by Rahat Dar/EPA

Dec. 30 (UPI) -- The Palestinian ambassador to Pakistan was recalled Saturday after sharing a stage with terrorism suspect Hafiz Saeed.

On Friday, Walid Abu Ali stood with Saeed at a rally in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, called by Difa-e-Pakistan Council, a coalition of more than 40 radical Islamist parties, to condemn the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital instead of Tel Aviv. A photo of them together surfaced on social media.

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The United Nations has designated Saeed as a global terrorist and a the mastermind of the Mumbai attacks that killed at least 160 people in 2008. Last month, he was released from house arrest after a Pakistani court cited lack of evidence against him in Mumbai.

The United States has placed a $10 million bounty on him.

Palestinian Ambassador to India Adnan Abu al-Haija informed India on Saturday that the Palestinian Authority had recalled Ali because of his appearance with Saeed.

"What he did was not acceptable to my government. Palestine has very close ties with India and has always supported India's fight against terror. As a result [Ambassador Ali] has been recalled to Ramallah by the government," Haija said to The Hindu.

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In a statement, Indian foreign ministry official Raveesh Kumar said the Palestinian Authority had reassured India that it "stands with us in the war against terrorism" and would not "engage with those who commit acts of terror against India."

In a letter to the Palestinian government, India noted that the ambassador's association with Saeed is "unacceptable."

At the United Nations General Assembly, India condemend United States and Israel for supporting a shift in Jerusalem's status.

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