India abstained from voting on a United Nations resolution concerning the Israel-Hamas conflict. The resolution, drafted by Jordan, called for an immediate humanitarian truce and unhindered humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip but did not mention Hamas. Canada proposed an amendment that would have condemned “terrorist attacks by Hamas,” and India supported this amendment along with 87 other nations. However, the amendment did not receive the required two-thirds majority to be adopted.
The Jordan-drafted resolution, titled ‘Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations,’ was ultimately adopted with 120 nations in favor, 14 against, and 45 abstaining. India was one of the countries that abstained, along with Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, Ukraine, and the UK.
The U.S. ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, expressed strong opposition to the resolution due to the absence of two key words, “Hamas” and “hostage.” She stated that it was “outrageous” that the resolution did not name Hamas as the perpetrators of the October 7th terrorist attacks. She also emphasized that the resolution failed to mention innocent people, including citizens from various countries, who were being held hostage by Hamas and other terrorist groups. Thomas-Greenfield criticized these omissions as giving cover to and empowering Hamas’ brutality, urging member states not to allow it to stand.
The resolution referred to Israel as “the occupying Power” and called for the rescinding of Israel’s order for Palestinian civilians, UN staff, and humanitarian workers to move residents from the northern Gaza Strip to the southern areas.
Essentially, India abstained from voting on a UN resolution related to the Israel-Hamas conflict. The resolution was adopted, but India, along with several other countries, abstained due to concerns about the omission of certain key words and issues in the resolution. The U.S. strongly opposed the resolution for similar reasons.
