Context:
India abstained in the UN Human Rights Council on a resolution that called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
More on the news
- The resolution on the ‘Human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the obligation to ensure accountability and justice’ was adopted by the Geneva-based Council with a vote of 28 in favour, 6 against and 13 abstentions.
- India abstained on the resolution, along with France, Japan, Netherlands, and Romania among others.
• India voted in favour of three other resolutions that were also adopted with large majorities on:
United Nations Human Rights Council
- The Human Rights Council is an intergovernmental body within the United Nations system responsible for protection and promotion of human rights around the World
- Established in 2006 by the General Assembly
- It replaced the former United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
- Headquarters:Geneva, Switzerland
- Member Countries:47
- “Right of the Palestinian people to self-determination”,
- “Human rights in the occupied Syrian Golan”
- “Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan”
Demands of the Human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the obligation to ensure accountability and justice
- The Council demands that Israel, the occupying power end its occupation of the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem.
- It demands that Israel immediately lift its blockade on the Gaza Strip and all other forms of collective punishment.
- It calls upon all States to take immediate action to prevent the continued forcible transfer of Palestinians within or from Gaza.
- It calls upon all States to cease the sale, transfer and diversion of arms, munitions and other military equipment to Israel.
- It urges all States to continue to provide emergency assistance to the Palestinian people and calls upon all States to ensure that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East receives predictable sustained and sufficient funding to fulfil its mandate.