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Mahesh

29/10/23 08:19 AM IST

The UNGA vote on Gaza war

In News
  • India abstained in a UN General Assembly vote on a resolution that called for an immediate humanitarian truce in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
  • The resolution, which does not contain the words ‘Hamas’ and ‘hostage’, was carried with 120 votes in favour and 14 against.
Why India abstained?
  • India joined Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom in the group of 45 countries that abstained on the resolution titled “Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations”.
  • The resolution, which called for an “immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities” and unhindered humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip, was drafted by a group of 22 Arab countries and was proposed by Jordan, which has been vocal in its criticism of the Palestinians civilian casualties in the Israeli bombardment.
  • Among the co-sponsors of the resolution were Bangladesh, Maldives, Pakistan, Russia, and South Africa.
  • Israel, the United States, five small Pacific island nations, and four Eastern European countries — Austria, Croatia, Czechia, and Hungary — were among the 14 members who voted against the resolution.
  • Jordan said a vote against the resolution would amount to approving a “senseless war” and “senseless killing”, while Israel rejected the vote as “infamy”.
  • The amendment proposed by Canada and co-sponsored by the US, sought to fix the responsibility of Hamas in the crisis. The amendment asked for the insertion of a paragraph in the resolution that would state that the General Assembly “unequivocally rejects and condemns the terrorist attacks by Hamas that took place in Israel starting on 7 October 2023 and the taking of hostages, demands the safety, well-being and humane treatment of the hostages.
  • India went with the majority (87) on this vote, while 55 member states voted against it, and 23 abstained.
  • The balanced position taken by India was in line with the one that it has maintained in the other ongoing — and deeply polarising conflict — in the world: the Russia-Ukraine war.
  • The geopolitics of the Middle East are both more volatile and complicated, as well as closer home — and India will need to mobilise all its diplomatic skills and goodwill with the main actors to negotiate the coming weeks and months. Here are the main elements of the Indian statement at the UNGA.
  • India has always supported a negotiated Two-State solution to the Israel-Palestine issue leading to the establishment of a sovereign, independent and viable State of Palestine living within secure and recognized borders, side-by-side in peace with Israel.
Source- Indian Express

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