UN General Assembly passes Palestine peace resolution; India among 142 supporters
PTC Web Desk: India on Friday voted in favour of a UN General Assembly resolution that endorsed the New York Declaration on the peaceful settlement of the Palestine issue and the implementation of the two-state solution.
The resolution, introduced by France, secured 142 votes in favour, while 10 nations opposed and 12 abstained. Alongside India, all Gulf Arab states supported the move. Those voting against included Israel, the United States, Argentina, Hungary, Paraguay, Tonga, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Micronesia, and Nauru.
The declaration was first circulated during a high-level international conference co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia at the UN headquarters in July, aimed at reviving peace negotiations.
India’s backing reflects a shift in its recent approach to the Gaza conflict. Over the past three years, New Delhi had abstained four times on UN resolutions calling for a ceasefire, drawing criticism for not explicitly pressing for an end to hostilities. Friday’s vote signals greater alignment with global efforts to revive negotiations for a two-state settlement.
Declaration highlights
The seven-page text called for collective action to end the Gaza war, and a lasting solution based on the two-state framework. It explicitly condemned the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, which killed 1,200 persons and saw over 250 hostages taken, while also criticising Israel’s retaliatory campaign in Gaza for its large-scale civilian toll, destruction of infrastructure, and use of “siege and starvation” tactics.
The declaration urged Israel to:
Make a public commitment to the two-state solution, including a sovereign Palestinian state.
Halt all settlement activity, land grabs, and annexation in the occupied territories, including East Jerusalem.
End violence and incitement against Palestinians and curb settlers’ attacks.
It reaffirmed support for the Palestinian right to self-determination and asserted that “the war in Gaza must end now.” It stressed Gaza’s role as an integral part of a future Palestinian state, calling for its unification with the West Bank and ruling out any occupation, territorial reduction, or forced displacement.
Strong reactions from Israel and US
Both Israel and the United States sharply criticised the resolution. Israeli foreign ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein denounced the declaration as proof that the UN General Assembly was a “political circus,” arguing it failed to label Hamas as a terrorist organisation.
The US Mission to the UN also opposed the measure. American diplomat Morgan Ortagus described it as “a gift to Hamas” and accused its backers of political posturing. Washington had earlier rejected both the July conference and the resolution.
According to Israeli figures, the October 7 Hamas assault killed 1,200 persons, mostly civilians, with 251 taken hostage. In response, Gaza health authorities report that over 64,000 persons—mostly civilians—have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory operations.
- With inputs from agencies
