India on Wednesday abstained from voting on a resolution in the United Nations General Assembly demanding an end to Israel’s “unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory” within 12 months.
The draft resolution, 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” was adopted after 124 nations voted in its favour.
While 14 nations voted against the resolution, 43 abstained, including India, Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Nepal, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.
The resolution was based on an International Court of Justice ruling from July 19, which said that Israel’s continued presence in Palestinian territories violated international law and must end “as rapidly as possible”.
The United Nations court was referring to Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israeli settlements in the West Bank began after the Six-Day War in 1967.
The ruling was a non-binding advisory opinion on the legality of the Israeli occupation of land in the Palestinian territory. The case stemmed from a request made by the United Nations General Assembly in 2022 for an advisory opinion on the matter.
The resolution adopted on Wednesday demanded Israel end “without delay” its presence in the Palestinian territories, which constituted “a wrongful act of a continuing character entailing its international responsibility”.
Drafted by Palestine, the resolution strongly deplored the “continued and total disregard and breaches” by Israel of its obligations under the United Nations charter, international law and other relevant resolutions.
“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,” the resolution said.
It added that the country must also “bear the legal consequences of all its internationally wrongful acts, including by making reparation for the injury, including any damage, caused by such acts”.
The resolution comes nearly a year after Israel’s military offensive against Gaza began on October 7. The attacks have killed more than 40,000 persons, including 16,500 children.
This came after the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an incursion into southern part of the country, killing 1,200 persons and taking over 200 hostages.
While India abstained from the vote on Wednesday, New Delhi had voted in favour of another United Nations resolution in November condemning Israeli settlements in Palestine. It has also repeatedly called for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Earlier this month, Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reiterated India’s position calling for the ceasefire “as soon as possible”.
“The current situation in Gaza is now understandably our foremost concern,” he said. “While we condemn acts of terrorism and hostage taking, we are deeply pained by the continuing death of innocent civilians. Any response must take into account the principles of humanitarian law.”
Jaishankar’s statement reflected the position India took at the United Nations on July 18.
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