Palestinian minister expresses disappointment over India’s abstention at UNHRC vote

NEW DELHI: Palestine foreign minister Riad Malki has written to his counterpart S Jaishankar expressing disappointment at India's decision to abstain from a vote at the UNHRC on alleged human rights violations and abuses during the Israel-Palestine conflict. Malki said in the letter that India had missed an opportunity to join the international community at this turning point, both crucial and long overdue, on the path to accountability, justice and peace.
India had abstained from voting on a UN Human Rights Council resolution establishing commission of inquiry to investigate alleged human rights violations and abuses in ‘Occupied Palestinian Territory’, including East Jerusalem, and in Israel, during the Israel-Palestine conflict.
India was among the 14 countries to abstain from voting on the resolution. Israel rejected the resolution describing it as an attempt to "whitewash crimes committed by terror organisation Hamas". The resolution had been passed with 24 countries voting in favour.
Malki said India's abstention stifled the important work of Human Rights Council at advancing human rights for all peoples, including those of the Palestinian people.
"The resolution is not an aberration to the Human Rights Council. It is the by-product of extensive multilateral consultations. It is the consolidation of years and thorough investigations into and reporting on Israel’s grave violations by states, United Nations experts, Human Rights Treaty bodies, and international organisations," said Malki.
He further said "root causes of the injustice that befell the Palestinian people, the decade-long dispossession, displacement, colonization, oppression of the Palestinian people and the denial and violation of their every human rights by Israel, the occupying power, must be prioritised".
Otherwise, he added, the situation will not only remain volatile but will continue deteriorating with far-reaching and grave repercussions.