New Delhi: The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution demanding an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in the devastated Gaza Strip on December 11.
India was among the 158 countries which voted in favour of the resolution. Nine countries voted against – USA, Argentina, Czechia, Hungary, Israel, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay and Tonga. There were 13 abstentions.
The resolution called for “an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire,” and “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages”. Reports noted that this was wording similar to a text vetoed by Washington in the Security Council last month.
UNRWA
The General Assembly also approved another resolution which provides backing for the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).
The Israeli parliament passed two bills at the end of October banning UNRWA from operating on Israeli soil and prohibiting Israeli authorities from communicating with its staff. The legislation is set to come into effect 90 days after it was passed.
“Without UNRWA, it is safe to say people will die; more people will die,” Juliette Touma, communications director for the UN’s agency for Palestine refugees, has said.
The resolution asked that Israel respect UNRWA’s mandate and “enable its operations to proceed without impediment or restriction.”
This was passed with 159 votes in favour. The US, Israel, and seven other countries voted against it, while 11 others abstained.
