While the Israeli ambassador walked out of the plenary session in protest at the end of her speech, India was among 13 countries which abstained from voting for the resolution.
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) adopted a resolution on Friday, calling for Israel to be held accountable for possible war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip at the end of the 55th Council session.
While the Israeli ambassador walked out of the plenary session in protest at the end of her speech at the UN, India was among 13 countries which abstained from voting for the resolution. Other countries which abstained were Albania, Benin, Cemeroon, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, France, Geogia, Japan, Lithuania, Montenegro, Netherlands and Romania.
“Draft resolution A/HRC/55/L.30 on the Human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the obligation to ensure accountability and justice was ADOPTED,” tweeted United Nations Human Rights Council.
#HRC55 | Draft resolution A/HRC/55/L.30 on the Human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the obligation to ensure accountability and justice was ADOPTED. pic.twitter.com/URttz9IFjv
— United Nations Human Rights Council | #HRC55 (@UN_HRC) April 5, 2024
In the resolution adopted on Friday, the UN condemned Israel for the war in Gaza but made no mention of Hamas or its crimes on October 7. The resolution equates the abductees with detainees suspected of terrorist activity, news agency ANI reported.
Furthermore, “the resolution provided legitimacy for Palestinian ‘resistance’ to the ‘occupation,’ calls for an arms embargo on Israel, and blatantly disregards the supply of weapons to Hamas by Iran and its allies”.
The resolution was passed with 28 of the council’s 47 member states voting in favour, six opposed and 13 abstaining. The United States voted against the anti-Israeli resolution, as did Germany, Argentina, Paraguay, Bulgaria and Malawi.
“There are 47 member states in the United Nations Human Rights Council, according to geographic distribution. Currently, its members include Malaysia, Kuwait, Qatar, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Algeria, South Africa, Somalia, Cuba, together with the United States, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, Romania, Georgia, Bulgaria among other states,” the Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in its press release.