New Delhi: India abstained from voting on a resolution at the 10th Emergency session of the 193-member United Nations General Assembly in New York Friday as the resolution did not condemn the Palestinian militant outfit Hamas or its attack on Israel on 7 October.
Proposed by Jordan and backed by more than 40 other member states, the resolution called for “immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities” in the Gaza Strip.
The resolution sailed through with 120 votes in favour, 14 against and 45 abstentions.
“In a world where differences and disputes should be resolved by dialogue, this August body should be deeply concerned at recourse to violence,” Yojna Patel, India’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, said while reiterating New Delhi’s support for the two-state solution.
“Terrorism is a malignancy and knows no borders, nationality, or race. The world should not buy into any justification of terror acts. Let us keep aside differences, unite and adopt a zero-tolerance approach to terrorism,” Patel added.
Ambassador @PatelYojna, Deputy Permanent Representative, delivered the explanation of India's vote at the 10th #UNGA Emergency Special Session today
Statement: https://t.co/6tOLVQnNv4 pic.twitter.com/phbvs5GiP8
— India at UN, NY (@IndiaUNNewYork) October 27, 2023
The resolution ‘Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations’, was the first such measure to be adopted at the UN in response to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, which has resulted in the deaths of at least 7,000 Palestinians and 1,400 Israelis in the last three weeks.
However, resolutions passed in the UNGA are not legally binding, unlike those passed in the UN Security Council. Over the past three weeks, the UNSC has failed to agree on four draft resolutions, with permanent members Russia, China and US using their veto power.
Among the 14 countries that voted against the resolution Friday were Israel, the US, Hungary, Austria and five Pacific island states. Besides India, the 45 member states that abstained included the UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Italy and Ukraine. The resolution was co-sponsored by more than 40 member states including Egypt, Oman, the UAE, Bangladesh, Maldives, Pakistan, Russia and South Africa.
India did, however, support an amendment to the resolution, proposed by Canada, which sought an explicit condemnation of Hamas and the abduction of Israeli civilians taken captive during the 7 October attack.
Prior to voting, the amendment proposed by Canada called for insertion of a paragraph in the resolution stating that the UNGA “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 in compliance with international law, and calls for their immediate and unconditional release”.
With 88 votes in favour, 55 against, and 23 abstentions, the amendment did not pass as it failed to get two-thirds support. Notably, all Arab nations voted against the amendment with Tunisia being the only exception.
What does the resolution state
Without naming either Israel, Hamas or the 7 October attacks, the resolution proposed by Jordan demanded that all parties “immediately and fully comply” with obligations under international humanitarian and human rights laws, “particularly in regard to the protection of civilians and civilian objects”.
It also condemned “all acts of violence aimed at Palestinians and Israeli civilians including all acts of terrorism and indiscriminate attacks, as well as all acts of provocation, incitement and destruction.
Further, the resolution called for the protection of humanitarian personnel and “continuous, sufficient and unhindered” provision of essential supplies and services in the Gaza Strip.
It also urged Israel — “the occupying Power” — to rescind its order asking Palestinian civilians, UN staff and humanitarian workers to evacuate all areas in northern Gaza and relocate to the south, and for Israeli forces to allow humanitarian access to the International Committee of the Red Cross and other humanitarian organisations.
It also called for the “immediate and unconditional release” of all civilians being held captive. According to the Israeli Army, 224 Israelis were taken captive by Hamas on 7 October. So far, only four of those, including an American-Israeli mother and daughter and two elderly Israeli women have been released, as part of a deal brokered by Qatar.
Speaking on the resolution, Gilad Erdan, Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, expressed his outrage at the omission of any mention of Hamas.
“Today is a day that will go down in infamy,” he said, adding that member states have “all witnessed that the UN holds not even one ounce of legitimacy”.
היום הזה יירשם לדיראון עולם כיום שבו האו״ם איבד לחלוטין כל מוסר ולגיטימיציה. היום הוכח שהאו״ם אינו מחוייב להילחם בזוועות אלא שהוא מעודד אותן!! אחרת אי אפשר להבין את הטירוף של העברת החלטה, שחמאס אפילו לא מופיע בה.
צפו בדבריי >> pic.twitter.com/VOV6a2Hf51
— Ambassador Gilad Erdan גלעד ארדן (@giladerdan1) October 28, 2023
“The UN is committed to ensuring further atrocity. According to the family of nations, Israel has no right to defend itself,” he said, rejecting the humanitarian crisis in Gaza on the grounds that the health ministry there responsible for reporting casualties is controlled by Hamas.
Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine, lauded the passing of the resolution: “In the world’s parliament today, peace-loving nations stood up and proved that the international community has not forsaken the promise, purpose and principles of the United Nations and has not abandoned the Palestinian people in these darkest hours.”
Permanent Observers do not have a vote in UNGA resolutions.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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