India supports UN resolution supporting Palestine’s bid for full membership

A resolution was passed by an overwhelming majority in the United Nations, supporting Palestine’s full membership and pressuring the Security Council to give “favorable consideration” to the bid, CNN reports.

On Friday, the resolution received an overwhelming majority of 143 votes, including India. 25 countries abstained, while nine countries, including Israel and the United States, voted against the text.

Other countries voting against the resolution were: Czechia, Hungary, Argentina, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea and

The text, introduced by the UAE, grants new privileges to the Palestinian Authority in its current capacity as a non-member observer state, and calls on the UN Security Council – which must rule on Palestinian membership – to reconsider the matter. Invokes. Favorably.”

It claims, “The State of Palestine is eligible for membership in the United Nations.”

Notably, India has always reiterated its stand for a two-state solution in the Israel-Palestine conflict. While, New Delhi has condemned any terrorist attack, including the October 7 attack by Hamas, it has also called for a homeland for Palestinians.

The Foreign Ministry reiterated in parliament in February, “We supported a negotiated two-state solution for the establishment of a sovereign, independent and viable State of Palestine within secure and recognized borders, living in peace with Israel.” Is.” ,

In remarks before the vote on Friday, Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour detailed the plight of Palestinians in war-torn Gaza.

“As we speak, 1.4 million Palestinians in Rafah wonder whether they will survive today,” he told the assembly, referring to Israeli threats of a major attack on the densely populated city in southern Gaza, CNN reports. “

He also thanked protesters on American university campuses and abroad who have demonstrated against the Israel–Hamas war.

“Our flag flies high and proud in Palestine and around the world and on the campus of Columbia University. It has become a symbol for all those who believe in freedom and for all those who are ruled by it who can no longer stand idly by in the face of such gross injustice,” Mansour said.

Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz immediately condemned the passage of the resolution, calling it an “absurd decision” that exposes the “structural bias of the United Nations” and rewards Hamas’s actions on 7 October.

“The United Nations is sending a message to our suffering region: violence has consequences,” he said. “The decision to upgrade the status of Palestinians at the UN is a reward for the terrorists of Hamas, as they carried out the worst genocide of Jews since the Holocaust.”

It is worth noting that although the General Assembly vote cannot grant UN membership, the adopted resolution grants new procedural rights and privileges to the Palestinian Authority, CNN reports.

Although only member states can vote, the Palestinian Authority can now sit among member states in alphabetical order, introduce resolutions and amendments, and co-sponsor resolutions and amendments.

It may also make statements and explanations about the votes. It has the authority to respond on behalf of a group within the United Nations. The Palestinian Authority may also request to hold a vote on resolutions and place items on the UNGA’s provisional agenda.

Mansour further said that the Palestinian Authority will now request full membership of the Security Council.

However, the US has already warned that it would likely veto such a request in the Security Council – a repeat of its April veto of a previous Palestinian membership request.

After the vote in the General Assembly on Friday, US Deputy Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood described the resolution text as “unproductive” and said that “durable peace” in the Middle East would mean combining a two-state solution with other elements, as That has been reported by CNN.

He said, “Gaza cannot be a stage of terrorism, Gaza must not be re-occupied by Israel and the size of Gaza’s territory must not be reduced.”

Wood also suggested that the United Nations is the wrong forum to consider Palestinian statehood, telling the General Assembly that “It is the United States’ view that the best path toward statehood and UN membership for the Palestinian people is The faster way is through direct negotiations between Israel and Israel.” Palestinian Authority.”