India abstained from UN vote on Israel-Palestine conflict; 'Shocked, ashamed', says Oppn

NT Correspondent

New Delhi: India on Friday abstained from voting on a United Nations General Assembly resolution for “immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce” between Israeli forces and Hamas militants in Gaza.

The resolution, which also sought a continuous supply of aid to civilians in Gaza, was adopted with 120 votes in favour, 14 against and 45 abstentions.

At the voting besides India, those who abstained from voting on Friday include Australia, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Sweden, Italy and Japan. The United States, Israel, Hungary and Austria were among those that voted against the resolution, which did not make any mention of the attack on Israelby Palestinian militant group Hamas on October 7.

India, however, supported an amendment to the resolution proposed by Canada to condemn the “terrorist attacks by Hamas” and the taking of hostages.

While abstaining from the vote on Saturday, India said that the October 7 attack was shocking and called on Hamas to immediately release hostages.

Total confusion in Modi govt's approach on Palestine issue: Oppn

In a post on X, Priyanka Gandhi quoted Mahatma Gandhi’s “an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind” to drive home her point.

“I am shocked and ashamed that our country has abstained from voting for a ceasefire in Gaza. Our country was founded on the principles of non-violence and truth, principles for which our freedom fighters laid down their lives, these principles form the basis of the constitution that defines our nationhood,” she said.

“To refuse to take a stand and watch in silence as every law of humanity is pulverized, food, water, medical supplies, communication and power is cut off to millions of people and thousands of men, women and children in Palestine are being annihilated goes against everything our country has stood for throughout its life as a nation,” Priyanka Gandhi said.

Further, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday said there was “total confusion” in the approach of the Narendra Modi government to the Palestine issue amid the Israel-Hamas war