Heartbreaking Disgrace: Skipping UNGA Vote on Ending Israel’s Unlawful Presence Condemned
India Isolates Itself from BRICS Partners on Israel Occupation Issue
By Nitya Chakraborty
India’s foreign policy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term is drawing considerable attention, especially following India’s controversial stance on the Israel occupation issue. On September 18, India abstained from a UN General Assembly resolution demanding that Israel withdraw from occupied Palestinian territories within 12 months. The resolution was supported by 124 members, including BRICS nations, except India. The United States and Israel opposed the motion, while 43 countries, including India, abstained.
Notably, Japan, a QUAD member like India, voted in favor, asserting that Israeli settlements hinder a two-state solution. India’s abstention signifies a significant departure from its BRICS partners and raises questions about its alignment with the US. Prime Minister Modi’s upcoming participation in the QUAD summit on September 21 in the USA underscores this shift. The QUAD, comprising the US, Japan, India, and Australia, sees India and Australia abstaining while Japan supports and the US opposes the resolution, indicating a complex geopolitical stance.
In a broader context, within the BRICS and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), India increasingly finds itself isolated. Since the Israel-Palestine conflict erupted on October 7 last year, BRICS members, excluding India, have vocally demanded an immediate end to Israeli hostilities and occupation. South Africa has called for the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to declare Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a criminal, supported by Brazil.
As tensions continue, the forthcoming SCO meeting in Islamabad and the BRICS summit in Russia, attended by global leaders like President Putin and Xi Jinping, will be crucial. Prime Minister Modi is unlikely to attend the SCO meeting but may participate in the BRICS summit. However, his position appears weakened due to India’s apparent pivot towards the US and away from the traditional stance of the global south.
This realignment raises critical questions about India’s long-term foreign policy strategy and its implications on international relations. (IPA Service)
Original Story https://theshillongtimes.com/2024/09/20/skipping-vote-on-unga-call-for-end-to-israels-unlawful-presence-is-a-big-shame/
Category : SPECIAL ARTICLE
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