Guwahati: India on Friday voted in favour of a UN General Assembly resolution endorsing the ‘New York Declaration’ on the peaceful settlement of the Palestine issue and the implementation of the two-state solution.
The resolution, introduced by France, was adopted with the support of 142 nations, while 10 voted against and 12 abstained.
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India joined Gulf Arab nations and other supporters in backing the measure titled “Endorsement of the New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution.”
Israel, the United States, Argentina, Hungary, Paraguay, Tonga, and a handful of Pacific island nations opposed the motion.
The declaration, first circulated at a high-level international conference co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia in July, seeks to revive stalled peace talks. India’s vote marks a notable shift from its recent stance: over the past three years, New Delhi abstained from four separate UN resolutions calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, drawing criticism for avoiding a clear position. Friday’s support indicates a stronger alignment with international calls for a negotiated two-state solution.
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The seven-page declaration condemned the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, which left 1,200 people dead and more than 250 taken hostage, while also criticising Israel’s military response in Gaza. It cited civilian casualties, the destruction of infrastructure, and what it described as a “siege and starvation” causing a worsening humanitarian crisis.
The text urged Israel to make an explicit commitment to a two-state solution, halt settlement expansion and annexation activities in the occupied territories, and put an end to settler violence.
It reaffirmed Palestinians’ right to self-determination, stressing that “absent decisive measures towards the two-state solution and robust international guarantees, the conflict will deepen, and regional peace will remain elusive.”
Declaring that “the war in Gaza must end now,” the resolution said Gaza must remain an integral part of a future Palestinian state, unified with the West Bank, and free from occupation, siege, or forced displacement.
Israel and the United States strongly denounced the resolution. Israel’s foreign ministry described the General Assembly as a “political circus detached from reality,” criticising the declaration for failing to brand Hamas a terrorist organisation. The US Mission to the UN called the resolution “a gift to Hamas,” with diplomat Morgan Ortagus dismissing it as political grandstanding.
According to Israeli figures, the October 7 Hamas assault killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and saw 251 taken hostage. Since then, more than 64,000 people—also mostly civilians—have been killed in Gaza, according to local health authorities.