Despite the just causes of Palestinian suffering, India abstains from UNGA vote for humanitarian truce

Even as Israel makes final-minute checks for its full-force ground assault on Gaza, India inexplicably decided not to back the global call at the UN for an immediate halt to the hostilities. This decision marked India as an outlier in South Asia as all other Governments voted in favour of the UN resolution. The resolution, proposed by Jordan, aimed to establish humanitarian truce and stressed the importance of adhering to international humanitarian law. It called for the unconditional release of captive civilians and the unrestricted supply of essential provisions to Gaza. This proposal had the support of many Arab and Islamic countries, including Egypt, Oman, the UAE and even Russia. India, while supporting an amendment that explicitly condemned Hamas, did not name the organisation in its 'explanation of vote.' The Indian representative expressed deep concern about the loss of civilian lives and the deteriorating security situation but did not specify why India abstained. The statement urged all parties involved to act responsibly but did not take a stance on the resolution itself. India, in its explanation of the vote, reiterated support for a negotiated two-State solution and urged all parties to de-escalate violence and work toward direct peace negotiations but seemingly it failed to stand behind Palestine. We must introspect and take a stand that we all can be proud of, particularly when we aim to be “Vishwa Guru” – the teacher/preacher of the world!

India’s stand, though unfortunate and indefensible, must be seen in the light of its predicament. Its cherished friendship with Palestine and humanitarian concerns had to be weighed against its growing friendship and reliance on Israel in defence and strategic fields. Having said that, human principles have always been at the core of India’s foreign policy and we should not budge from our moral standards. We should have been seen walking the talk but India’s West Asia policy now seems shaky and ambiguous. India's initial response to the conflict was to express solidarity with Israel but Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a balancing act, later showed support for the Palestinian cause and the two-state theory. However, India was not the only one to side with Israel. The western bloc and the US defended Israel’s action by calling it retaliation for Hamas's attack. During the vote, Jordan's representative criticised Canada's amendment which aimed to name Hamas and was seen as an attempt to whitewash Israel's actions. The UN resolution condemned all acts of violence against Palestinian and Israeli civilians, including terrorism and indiscriminate attacks. It called for compliance to international humanitarian laws, protection of humanitarian personnel and facilities and the release of all captive civilians. The resolution reiterated the need for a just and lasting solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict through peaceful means and in accordance with relevant UN resolutions and international laws.