UN General Assembly adopts Gaza resolution

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in news?
• What is United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)?
• What are Special sessions of UNGA?
• What are emergency special sessions of UNGA?
• Implications of resolutions passed by the special emergency sessions
• News Summary: UN General Assembly adopts Gaza resolution
• Broad takeaways from the proceedings at the UNGA
• Main elements of the Indian statement at the UNGA

Why in news?

• The United Nations General Assembly has passed a resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian truce between Israel and Hamas and demanding aid access to Gaza.
• A total of 120 countries voted in favour of the resolution, 14 countries voted against including Israel and the United States, while 45 others, including India, abstained.
• India’s abstention in the vote exemplified the balancing act it has adopted on the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip.

United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)

• It was established in 1945 under the Charter of the United Nations and is headquartered in New York City.
• It is one of the six principal organs of the UN and serves as the main policy-making organ of the Organization.
• It provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues covered by the Charter of the United Nations.
• Each of the 193 Member States of the United Nations has an equal vote.

Special sessions of UNGA

• The United Nations Charter (Chapter IV, article 20) provides for the General Assembly to meet in special sessions as occasion may require.
• Special sessions are convened by the Secretary-General at the request of the Security Council or of a majority of the Members of the United Nations.

Emergency special sessions of UNGA

• An emergency special session of the UN is an unscheduled meeting of the United Nations General Assembly to make urgent recommendations on a particular issue.
• If the General Assembly is not in the session, the UN Charter allows it to meet in emergency special session within twenty-four hours of the request therefor.
• The procedure to call an emergency special session are laid out in the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly.
  • Emergency special session is called if requested by the Security Council on the vote of any seven members, or by a majority of the Members of the UN.
• So far, only 11 such emergency session of the General Assembly have been held since 1950.

Implications of resolutions passed by the special emergency sessions

• These resolutions are not legally-binding. These are symbolic of the world opinion on the crisis and carry political weight as they represent the will of the entire UN membership.

News Summary: UN General Assembly adopts Gaza resolution

• The 193 members of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) met in a resumed 10th Emergency Special Session.
  • The 10^thEmergency Special Session is related to Israeli-Palestine conflict. It was first held in April 1997.
  • The current session resumed the 10th Emergency Special Session.
• They voted on the draft resolution submitted by Jordan and co-sponsored by more than 40 nations.

Broad takeaways from the proceedings at the UNGA

• The resolution
  • The resolution titled "Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations" was adopted with 120 nations voting in its favour.
  • India joined Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom in the group of 45 countries that abstained on the resolution.
  • Israel and the United States, were among the 14 members who voted against the resolution.
• Attempt to fix the responsibility of Hamas
  • The amendment proposed by Canada and co-sponsored by the US, sought to fix the responsibility of Hamas in the crisis.
  • The amendment explicitly condemned Hamas for its October 7 terrorist attack on Israel and demanded the immediate release of hostages seized by the group.
  • India went with the majority (87) on this vote, while 55 member states voted against it, and 23 abstained.
  • However, this amendment could not be adopted.
• Resolution not binding
  • Unlike resolutions of the UN Security Council, resolutions of the UNGA are not legally binding.
    • It only carries incredible weight and moral authority.
  • Therefore, despite the comprehensive defeat, Israel and the US are not obliged to act on the resolution.
• Balanced position taken by India
  • The balanced position taken by India was in line with the one that it has maintained in the other ongoing conflict in the world: the Russia-Ukraine war.
  • The diplomatic toolkit of hedging and balancing between the warring sides has been a consistent feature of New Delhi’s approach.

Main elements of the Indian statement at the UNGA

• It condemned violence, especially the October 7 attacks by Hamas, conveying its support for Israel.
• It then balanced out its support with a statement on the plight of the people of Gaza.
  • It welcomed the international community’s de-escalation efforts and delivery of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza.
  • India too has contributed to this effort.
• India expressed concern at the security situation and urged all parties — which would include both Israel and its rival Iran, as well as groups like Hezbollah — to exercise restraint and responsibility.
• New Delhi reiterated its principled position on the Israel-Palestinian issue.
  • India has always supported a negotiated Two-State solution to the Israel-Palestine issue.
  • India believes in establishment of a sovereign, independent and viable State of Palestine living within secure and recognized borders, side-by-side in peace with Israel.
• India counselled diplomacy and dialogue.
  • India urged the parties to de-escalate, eschew violence and work towards creating conditions for an early resumption of direct peace negotiations.

Q1) What is the Israeli-Palestine conflict about?

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a long-running and complex dispute over land that has historical and religious significance to Jews, Muslims, and Christians. The conflict dates back to the end of the nineteenth century. 

Q2) What is a resolution passed by UN General Assembly (UNGA)?

A United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution is a decision or declaration voted on by all member states of the United Nations. Resolutions are formal expressions of the opinion or will of UN organs.

Source: The UNGA vote on Gaza war, and why India abstained | United Nations | Al Jazeera