Should strive towards 'building bridges', 'not furthering divides': India as it abstains in UNGA on Palestinian resolution

GENEVA: India abstained in the UN General Assembly on a resolution that demanded Israel end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory within 12 months, with Delhi underlining that it is a strong advocate of "dialogue and diplomacy" and efforts should be made towards "building bridges", "not furthering divides".

The 193-member General Assembly adopted the resolution on Wednesday, with 124 nations voting in favour, 14 against and 43 abstentions, including that by India.

The resolution was titled ‘Advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legal consequences arising from Israel’s policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and from the illegality of Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory’.

Those abstaining included Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Nepal, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. Nations voting against the resolution included Israel and the US.

Delivering the explanation of vote on the resolution, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish underlined India's abiding commitment to achieving a just, peaceful and lasting solution to the Israel-Palestine issue and reiterated that only a two-state solution achieved through direct and meaningful negotiations between both sides will lead to enduring peace.

“India has abstained from today's vote. We have been strong advocates of dialogue and diplomacy. We believe that there is no other way to resolve conflicts,” he said.

Underlining that there are no winners in conflicts, Harish said the cost of conflict is human lives and destruction.

“A joint effort should be directed towards bringing the two sides closer, not drive them further apart. We should strive towards building bridges, not furthering the divides,” he said.

India urged the General Assembly to make a “genuine effort" to strive for peace. Harish emphasised India’s steadfast commitment to resolution of the conflict and restoration of peace by bringing human suffering to an end.

“We will continue to be guided by this spirit. To this end, we stand ready to continue our engagements towards achieving sustained peace,” he said.

Harish said the world has been witnessing the ongoing conflict in Gaza for more than 11 months now that has led to the death of thousands including women and children and the largescale consequent humanitarian crisis.

Underlining that India’s position on the conflict has been clear and consistent, Harish said Delhi unequivocally condemned the terror attacks on Israel on October 7 last year, and also condemned the loss of civilian lives in the conflict, called for an immediate ceasefire, and an immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

He said India stands for unrestricted and sustained humanitarian assistance in the Gaza Strip.

The resolution adopted Wednesday demanded that "Israel brings to an end without delay its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which constitutes a wrongful act of a continuing character entailing its international responsibility, and do so no later than 12 months from the adoption of the present resolution.”

The Palestinian-drafted resolution also strongly deplored the continued and total disregard and breaches by the Government of Israel of its obligations under the Charter of the United Nations, international law and the relevant United Nations resolutions, and stressed that such breaches seriously threaten regional and international peace and security.

It recognised that Israel must be held to account for any violations of international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including any violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and that it “must bear the legal consequences of all its internationally wrongful acts, including by making reparation for the injury, including any damage, caused by such acts.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, addressing reporters as the organisation prepares to host world leaders soon for the landmark Summit of the Future and the high-level General Assembly session said that the level of death and destruction in Gaza is by far the “largest that I've ever seen in my mandate as Secretary-General” and the violations of international humanitarian law are “totally unacceptable.”

“I condemned as I did, and I feel that that condemnation was essential, the terror attacks by Hamas, but what's happening today in Gaza is totally unacceptable,” Guterres said.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), citing Ministry of Health in Gaza estimates, said that between October 7, 2023 and September 16 this year, least 41,226 Palestinians have been killed and 95,413 injured.

According to the Israeli military and official Israeli sources cited in the media, more than 1,542 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed during this period, the majority on October 7 and its immediate aftermath.