UNITED NATIONS – India’s abstention on a resolution at the United NationsHuman Rights Council Thursday that called for the establishment of aninternational independent commission to investigate Israel’s aggression inGaza marked a decisive shift in its Middle East policy — away fromPalestine and towards Israel, diplomats said.
The 47-member Council, which is based in Geneva, adopted the resolution putforward by Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation(OIC) by a vote of 24-9, with 14 abstentions.
Despite intense pressure brought on by Israel’s powerful friends to erodesupport for the resolution, the Human Rights Council did speak out againstrights violations in the Palestinian Occupied Territory after the UNSecurity Council, which has the primary responsibility of maintaininginternational peace and security, was blocked by the United States fromtaking any action even as the deadly Israeli attacks were causing heavyPalestinian casualties.
Subsequently, the OIC and the Arab Group at the UN in New York convened anemergency session of the UN General Assembly on May 20. As high-leveldelegates, including Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, calledfor de-escalation of hostilities in the 193-member Assembly, Egypt, whichwas mediating between Israel and the Hamas movement, announced a ceasefire.
At least 285 Palestinians were killed in the Israeli attacks in Gaza andWest Bank that continued for 11 days.
Diplomats were not surprised by India’s decision to abstain from voting asits Middle East policy has been gradually changing under theHindu-nationalist government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with a clearshift seen Indian envoys’ statements in the UN General Assembly as well ashere in the Human Rights Council that appeared to appease Israel as theyonly chastised Hamas for its retaliatory rocket attacks.
Those statements also shied away from any expression of concern over thedisproportionate use of force by Israel against Palestinians, includingwomen and children, it was pointed out.
Claiming to be a supporter of Palestinian cause, this vote betrayed adifferent reality: As an occupation power, India sided with another one —perhaps anticipating international censure for its copycat brute tactics inJammu and Kashmir.
Indeed, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations inGeneva, Ambassador Khalil Hashmi, who piloted the resolution in the HumanRights Council, said in an interview with Anadolu News Agency, “TheKashmiri and Palestinian people are both resisting against foreignoccupation and the violent suppression of their rights and freedoms.”
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“Both the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and the Palestinian question are on theagenda of the UN Security Council, awaiting the implementation of numerousresolutions for the realization of their right to self-determination,” hesaid, adding that the two situations manifest a “trend among certaincountries and groups to ignore human rights at the altar of politicalexpediency and bilateral relations.”
“In that sense, Palestine and Kashmir reflect the deep politicization ofglobal human rights and obvious double standards,” Ambassador Hashmi said.
Among those who spoke in the debate were: Pakistani FM Qureshi, NetumboNandi-Ndaitwah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of InternationalRelations and Cooperation of Namibia; Abdul Momen, Minister for ForeignAffairs of Bangladesh; Najla Elmangoush, Minister for Foreign Affairs andInternational Cooperation of the Government of National Unity of Libya andRiad al-Malki, Foreign Minister of Palestine.
The results of the vote on the resolution were as follows:
In favour (24): Argentina, Armenia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bolivia, BurkinaFaso, China, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Eritrea, Gabon, Indonesia, Libya,Mauritania, Mexico, Namibia, Pakistan, Philippines, Russian Federation,Senegal, Somalia, Sudan, Uzbekistan and Venezuela.
Against: (9): Austria, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Czech Republic, Germany, Malawi,Marshall Islands, United Kingdom and Uruguay.
Abstentions: (14): Bahamas, Brazil, Denmark, Fiji, France, India, Italy,Japan, Nepal, Netherlands, Poland, Republic of Korea, Togo and Ukraine.
