United Nations, Mar 5 (PTI) India is “positively” considering specific requests from the troubled UN agency for Palestine Refugees for assistance in kind, even as Delhi expressed “serious concern” over recent allegations that some of its employees may have been involved in the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel.
Addressing a special meeting of the UN General Assembly on Monday on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj said the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has led to large scale loss of civilian lives, especially women and children, and has resulted in an alarming humanitarian crisis.
She said India has provided humanitarian aid to the people of Palestine and will continue to do so. “We are also positively considering specific requests from the UNRWA for assistance in kind. We urge utmost diligence in the utilisation of these assistance,” Kamboj said.
As a mark of its solidarity with the Palestinian refugees, Kamboj said India enhanced its annual contribution to the agency from USD 1.25 million to USD 5 million in 2018. Since then, India has been regularly making this contribution to the UN agency annually, which goes to support its core programmes and services, including education, healthcare, relief and social services provided to Palestinian refugees.
She, however, noted that the recent allegations against UNRWA are a “matter of serious concern”.
“We have noted that the Secretary-General has announced a time-bound investigation into all such allegations,” Kamboj said.
India also noted the constitution of an independent review group led by the former Foreign Minister of France Catherine Colonna to go into the working of the UNRWA. Kamboj said India looks forward to getting these reports.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was “horrified” regarding the “extremely serious allegations” which implicated several UNRWA staff members in the terror attacks of October 7 in Israel.
The Secretary-General, in consultation with UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini, appointed an independent Review Group to assess whether the agency was doing everything within its power to ensure neutrality and to respond to allegations of serious breaches when they are made.
The UN has said it is taking swift action following the allegations and an investigation by the UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) was immediately activated.
Separately, addressing another UNGA meeting, Kamboj said India has been “deeply troubled by the conflict in Gaza that has been raging for nearly five months now.” She added that the humanitarian crisis has deepened, and the region and beyond have seen rising instability.
“The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has led to large scale loss of civilian lives, especially women and children…this has also resulted in an alarming humanitarian crisis. This is clearly unacceptable,” Kamboj told the UN General Assembly meeting on the Use of Veto.
The General Assembly held the plenary debate on ‘Use of the veto’ after the US cast a veto in the UN Security Council last month, leading to the failure of the 15-nation Council to adopt a resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza war.
Kamboj told the UNGA that India’s position on the conflict has been clear and Delhi has strongly condemned the deaths of civilians in the conflict. “It is critical to prevent further escalation of violence and hostilities. It is imperative to avoid the loss of civilian lives in any conflict situation,” she said.
She underlined that it is imperative that humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza be scaled up immediately to avert a further deterioration in the situation. India urged all parties to come together in this endeavour, welcoming efforts of the UN and international community in this regard. India has provided humanitarian aid to the people of Palestine and will continue to do so.
Kamboj said India is cognizant of the fact that the immediate trigger of the conflict was the terror attacks in Israel on October 7, which were “shocking and deserve our unequivocal condemnation.
India has a longstanding and uncompromising position against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. There can be no justifications for terrorism and hostage-taking. We demand the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.” India has repeatedly emphasised that only a two-state solution, achieved through direct and meaningful negotiations between both sides on final status issues, will deliver an enduring peace.
“India is committed to supporting a Two-State solution where the Palestinian people are able to live freely in an independent country within secure borders, with due regard to the security needs of Israel,” Kamboj said.
To arrive at a lasting solution, India urged for immediate de-escalation, eschewing violence, the release of all hostages, avoiding provocative and escalatory actions, and to work towards creating conditions for an early resumption of direct peace negotiations. PTI YAS GRS SCY AKJ SCY SCY
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