Israel-Hamas war: How India has gone from abstaining on ceasefire vote to favouring it

The Israel-Hamas war continues to rage on – it’s been over two months that both sides continue to wage war against each other. Amid the death and destruction, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) once again convened and this time voted overwhelmingly in favour of a resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in war-torn Gaza. A whopping 153 countries of the 193-member UNGA voted in favour of the resolution, while 23 nations abstained from the vote and 10 countries voted against it. Of the 10 who voted against the resolution was the United States and Israel. It’s important to note that the resolution calling for a ceasefire isn’t binding. However, it does serve as an indicator of global opinion. India was among the 153 countries that voted in favour of the resolution that demanded for an immediate ceasefire and unconditional release of all hostages. This marks a change from the October vote when India had abstained from voting on a resolution, which urged for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. We take a closer look at India’s stance on the Israel-Hamas war and how it has voted on the issue at the UN. India votes in favour of ceasefire On Tuesday (12 December), India was among the 153 nations that voted in favour of a resolution, demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict. The resolution, introduced by Egypt, demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and reiterated its demand that all parties comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, notably about the protection of civilians.

Today, the #UNGA Emergency Special Session adopted resolution ES-10/22 demanding:

➡️ Immediate humanitarian ceasefire.

➡️ All parties comply with their obligations under international law.

➡️ Unconditional release of all hostages, as well as ensuring humanitarian access. pic.twitter.com/IiBjS5g5Uf

— UN GA President (@UN_PGA) December 13, 2023

It also demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, as well as ensuring humanitarian access. [caption id=“attachment_13498772” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] A general view shows a screen of votes during a United Nations General Assembly meeting to vote on a non-binding resolution demanding “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza at UN headquarters in New York. AFP[/caption] Ruchira Kamboj, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, said: “India has voted in favour of the resolution just adopted by the General Assembly. The situation that this August body has been deliberating upon has many dimensions. There is the terrorist attack in Israel on 7 October and the concern for the hostages taken at that time. There is an enormous humanitarian crisis and a large-scale loss of civilian lives, especially of women and children. There is the issue of observing international humanitarian law in all circumstances. And there is the endeavour to find a peaceful and lasting two-state solution to the longstanding Palestine question.”

#WATCH | At the United Nations General Assembly, Permanent Representative of India to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj says, "India has voted in favour of the resolution just adopted by the General Assembly. The situation that this August body has been deliberating upon has many… pic.twitter.com/r77zRWLuiB

— ANI (@ANI) December 12, 2023

She added, “Our challenge, in this extraordinarily difficult time, is to strike the right balance. The gravity and complexity of what the international community faces are underlined by the secretary general invoking Article 99 of the Charter of the United Nations. We, therefore, welcome the fact that the international community unity has been able to find a common ground to address the multiple challenges facing the region right now.” [caption id=“attachment_13498712” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] In October, India abstained from the UN vote on Israel-Hamas conflict. New Delhi explained that it was owing to the ‘absence of all elements of its approach’. File image/PTI[/caption] India abstains in previous vote India’s vote on Tuesday is quite different from how it voted previously on the matter at the UN. On 27 October, India abstained from voting on a resolution that called for an immediate humanitarian truce in the Israel-Hamas war. At that time, the resolution had been adopted by a vote of 120-14. India was the only stand out in South Asia, with all the other seven nations voting in favour of the resolution. In its explanation, Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Yojna Patel said that it did not mention Hamas and that the UN needed to send a clear message against terror. “We hope that the deliberations of this assembly will send a clear message against terror and violence and expand prospects for diplomacy and dialogue while addressing the humanitarian crisis that confronts us.”

#IndiaAtUN

Ambassador @PatelYojna, Deputy Permanent Representative, delivered the explanation of India's vote at the 10th #UNGA Emergency Special Session today

Statement: https://t.co/6tOLVQnNv4 pic.twitter.com/phbvs5GiP8

— India at UN, NY (@IndiaUNNewYork) October 27, 2023

She added that the 7 October attacks deserved condemnation. “The terror attacks in Israel on 7 October were shocking and deserve condemnation. Our thoughts are also with those taken hostages. We call for their immediate and unconditional release. Terrorism is a malignancy and knows no borders, nationality, or race. The world should not buy into any justification of terror acts. Let us keep aside differences, unite, and adopt a zero-tolerance approach to terrorism,” Patel said. Following India’s abstention, Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy appreciated the support extended by India to Tel Aviv. Speaking to news agency ANI, he had further alleged that the resolution was like having a UN resolution three weeks after 9/11 and not mentioning Al Qaeda or the Twin Towers being brought down by plane strikes. “So, we appreciate the support of international friends who are standing by Israel’s side and want Israel to defeat Hamas,” he said. Notably, weeks after India abstained from voting on a resolution calling for a ceasefire, the country voted in favour of a United Nations resolution that condemns Israeli settlements in Palestine on 12 November. The resolution was titled “Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan”. India’s balancing act on Israel-Hamas war Since the war has begun, New Delhi has maintained a nuanced and balanced take on the situation. Having close ties to Palestine and Israel, India has refused to take sides on the issue. India’s first response to the 7 October attack came in the form of a tweet by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who expressed “solidarity” with Israel. This was further reiterated by Modi in a phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel. Later, he held a phone call with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, condemning the explosion at the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza. The Ministry of External Affairs had then also issued a statement saying it continues to abide by its “long-standing position” on the resumption of negotiations towards a two-state solution for the Israel-Palestine conflict. The MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, in a weekly press briefing, further stated that New Delhi views the attack launched by Hamas against Israeli citizens on 7 October as a “terrorist” act. “Our position on Palestine has been long-standing and consistent. India has always advocated the resumption of direct negotiations towards a sovereign independent and viable state of Palestine, living within secure and recognised borders, side by side and at peace with Israel. That position remains the same,” he had then said. With inputs from agencies