News Brief
India Backs UN Resolution Calling For Withdrawal Of Israel From Palestinian Territories Including East Jerusalem
UNGA
India supported a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution calling for the “withdrawal of Israel from the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem,” and emphasised the need for a comprehensive and lasting peace in West Asia.
The resolution, titled ‘Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine’, was introduced by Senegal and passed by the 193-member General Assembly on 3 December.
It reaffirmed the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to self-determination and an independent state.
The General Assembly reiterated its commitment to the two-state solution under international law, envisioning Israel and Palestine coexisting peacefully within recognised borders, based on pre-1967 boundaries.
India also backed a resolution urging Israel to withdraw from the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, adhering to the line of June 1967, in line with prior Security Council directives.
The abstention stemmed from concerns over punitive measures not included in the ICJ opinion.
In his explanation, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations P Harish reaffirmed India’s consistent stance on a two-state solution for Israel-Palestine peace, stating, “Our joint efforts should be directed towards bringing the two sides closer, not drive them further apart.”
India’s voting patterns reflect a nuanced approach, balancing its support for Palestinian self-determination and peace efforts with a cautious stance on resolutions involving punitive sanctions.
