India abstained from voting in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Wednesday, as the 193-member body passed a resolution demanding that Israel end its unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territories within 12 months. The resolution received 124 votes in favour, 14 against, and 43 abstentions, news agency PTI reported.
Among the nations abstaining were key players like Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Nepal, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. Those opposing the resolution included Israel and the United States, who have consistently defended Israel’s policies in the region.
The resolution, officially 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”, calls for Israel to “bring to an end without delay its unlawful presence” and notes that Israel’s continued actions constitute a “wrongful act of a continuing character” that must be addressed under international law.
“The international community cannot look away while international law is repeatedly violated,” said the Palestinian representative to the UN in a moving speech, calling for immediate action. The resolution also disapproved what it described as Israel’s “continued and total disregard” of its obligations under international law, adding that such breaches threaten regional and global peace.
Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, rejected the resolution, calling it “another politically motivated move designed to undermine Israel’s legitimacy.” The US also expressed concerns, stating that the resolution “will not contribute to peace but instead exacerbate tensions in the region.”