New York: Amid a perceptible shift in India’s Middle East policy, Palestine has expressed concern at India’s abstention during a vote at the UN Human Rights Council that resulted in the setting up of an inquiry into rights violations during the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.
Palestine’s concerns were conveyed by foreign minister Riad Malki in a letter sent to his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar on May 30. The letter, accessed by Hindustan Times, stated that India’s abstention during the vote on May 27 “stifles the important work of Human Rights Council at advancing human rights for all peoples, including those of the Palestinian people”.
The development comes against the backdrop of India dropping its traditional reference to support for the “just Palestinian cause” in at least three recent statements at the UN Security Council, General Assembly and Human Rights Council. The statements, however, retained the usual reference to a two-state solution to be achieved through direct negotiations to ensure lasting peace between the people of Israel and Palestine. Hindustan Times
