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United Nations, October 28 (IANS) In a first, India has voted against a UN General Assembly resolution backing the Palestine cause.
India's opposition to the resolution on Friday was because it failed to condemn Hamas for its terrorist attack and the Assembly rejected an amendment supported by New Delhi that would have named the terror group.
India's Deputy Permanent Representative Yojna Patel said after the vote, "The terror attacks in Israel on October 7 were shocking and deserve condemnation."
"The world should not buy into any justification of terror acts. Let us keep aside differences, unite and adopt a zero tolerance approach to terrorists," she added.
The resolution that called for a truce in the Israel-Hamas conflict and provision of assistance to the people of Gaza passed with 120 votes while there were 14 votes against it and 45 abstentions, giving it a two-thirds majority of those present and voting.
India backed the amendment to the resolution moved by Canada that named Hamas and condemned its 7/10 attack, but it failed to pass, getting only 88 votes, while there were 54 votes against it, with 23 abstentions.
Patel said, "Terrorism is a malignancy and knows no borders, nationality or race."
The Hamas attacks were "on a scale and intensity that is an affront to basic human values," she added.
"Violence as a means to achieve political objective objectives, damages indiscriminately, and does not pave the way for any durable solutions."
"We hope that the deliberations of this Assembly will send a clear message against terror and violence and expand prospects for diplomacy and dialogue while addressing the humanitarian crisis that confronts us," she said.
The Assembly action came after the Security Council failed to pass four resolutions on Gaza, one each vetoed by Russia and the US, and two that did not get the minimum nine votes to pass.
The Assembly's resolution is only symbolic because unlike the Security Council it does not have the power to enforce it.
Patel also spoke of the toll the conflict in Gaza has taken on civilians and said, "This humanitarian crisis needs to be addressed."
"India is deeply concerned about the deteriorating security situation and astounding loss of civilian lives in the ongoing conflict," she added.
"Casualties in the ongoing front conflict in Gaza are a telling, serious and continuing concern; civilians especially women and children are paying with their lives," she said.
She also reiterated India's support for a two-state solution that would have Israel and Palestine living side-by-side as independent, sovereign states.
The resolution that passed was proposed by Jordan on behalf of the Arab group and Pakistan, Bangladesh and China were among the co-sponsors.
Pakistan's Permanent Representative Munir Akram spoke against the amendment before the vote asserting that it lacked "equity and balance and fairness".
If Hamas should be named, so should Israel, he said, adding that the resolution Islamabad co-sponsored was "circumspect" in not naming either of them.
Many countries that voted for the amendment switched to voting for the resolution even without the amendment or abstained, enabling its passage.
Britain and France were among the Western countries that made the switch and voted for the resolution.
France's Permanent Representative Nicolas de Riviere explaining the change said that it sought to enable aid for the civilians of Gaza.
He said, "Nothing could justify the suffering of civilians. All of the victims of war are worthy of compassion, all of the lives are equally worthwhile. There's no hierarchy."
"We have to work collectively to set up humanitarian truce, which could lead eventually to a ceasefire because the situation in Gaza is catastrophic," he added.
Iraq, which voted against the resolution, later said that it was done in error and that it backs it.
Priyanka expresses shock after India abstains from voting for a ceasefire in Gaza
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday expressed shock over India abstaining from the voting for a ceasefire in Gaza, and slammed the Central government saying that refusing to take a stand and watching in silence as every law of humanity is pulverised in Palestine is being annihilated goes against everything our country has stood for.
She also said that our country is founded on the principles of non-violence and truth and they represent the moral courage of India that guided its actions as a member of the international community.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Priyanka Gandhi said: “'An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind’, Mahatma Gandhi. I am shocked and ashamed that our country has abstained from voting for a ceasefire in Gaza.”
Reminding of the principles of India, she said that our country was founded on the principles of non-violence and truth, principles for which our freedom fighters laid down their lives, these principles form the basis of the Constitution that defines our nationhood.
“They represent the moral courage of India that guided its actions as a member of the international community,” the Congress leader said.
“To refuse to take a stand and watch in silence as every law of humanity is pulverised, food, water, medical supplies, communication and power is cut off to millions of people and thousands of men, women and children in Palestine are being annihilated goes against everything our country has stood for throughout its life as a nation,” Priyanka Gandhi added.
Her remarks came after India on Friday abstained in the UN General Assembly from voting on a draft resolution submitted by Jordan, that called for an immediate humanitarian truce in the Israel-Hamas conflict, as it did not make any mention of the terrorist group Hamas.
In a first, India has voted against a UN General Assembly resolution backing the Palestine cause.
India's opposition to the resolution on Friday was because it failed to condemn Hamas for its terrorist attack and the Assembly rejected an amendment supported by New Delhi that would have named the terror group.
India's Deputy Permanent Representative Yojna Patel said after the vote: "The terror attacks in Israel on October 7 were shocking and deserve condemnation."
"Violence as a means to achieve political objectives damages indiscriminately, and does not pave the way for any durable solutions. The terror attacks in Israel on October 7 were shocking and deserve condemnation. Our thoughts are also with those taken hostages. We call for their immediate and unconditional release. 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," she added.
Even Indian Overseas Congress Secretary Virendra Vashisth on Friday met Palestine Ambassador to India in solidarity.
“Our foundation with Palestine from first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru era to all successive prime ministers and it was the reason why the government had to change its statement earlier. And non violence and peace is the only way to find a solution and we also follow the policy of zero tolerance omn terrorism,” he said.
Fighting in the Gaza Strip has entered day 22 after Hamas members launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing at least 1,400 people on October 7.
Since the October 7 Hamas attack, Gaza's health ministry has said that Israel's retaliatory bombardments have killed more than 7,000 Palestinians.
