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unnoticed is Narendra Modi’s visit to
Israel last year, the first by an Indian
PM, was not accompanied by a visit
to Palestine. Despite India’s voting
India’s Vote on Jerusalem pattern in the UN Human Rights
Council earlier this year, where it voted
against Israel on four out of five
The Jerusalem vote sends New Delhi’s clear signals that it has the credential to resolutions and abstained on one, there
be counted as a global player no matter what the US views on international has been a perception in some quarters
that the BJP government has started
issues are —By Pallab Bhattacharya
viewing Palestine through the prism of
majoritarian politics at home.
When India went with the overwhelming imports annually is too important for UNGA VOTE SUGGESTS BONHOMIE
majority of UN member-countries and India not to antagonize the Arab world. So, New Delhi’s UNGA vote is a
voted against the United States’ So is the security of millions of Indians reassurance that India sticks to its
decision to declare Jerusalem as the in West Asia. According to the World principled and its long-held policy
capital of Israel, it elicited a range of Bank estimate, about 7 million Indian favouring a negotiated settlement on
interpretations as to the direction of nationals working in the three Gulf the question of Jerusalem as part of a
New Delhi’s policy towards the Middle countries of Saudi Arabia, UAE and larger intractable two-state solution for
East and West Asian cauldron. Israel and Palestine. During his Israel
HISTORIC DECISION BY INDIA visit, Modi did not specify the broad
On December 21, the tenth United In Brief outlines of such settlement nor was he
Nations General Assembly (UNGA)  India voted against the US’ expected to for the simple reason is
special session was reconvened at the decision to declare Jerusalem that India is not yet a key player in the
request of the Arab Group and the as the capital of Israel. Middle East even though peace and
Organization of Islamic Cooperation stability there is of paramount
to consider the issue and the House  The resolution moved in importance for millions of Indians
voted 128 to 9 to oppose any attempt UNGA on Jerusalem working or settled in West Asia. After
by the United States to change the effectively condemns the Israel occupied East Jerusalem in the
status quo on Jerusalem. The unilateral US move. 1967 war, both UNGA and UN
resolution moved in UNGA on  The vote against the US on Security Council affirmed that Israel’s
Jerusalem effectively condemns the Jerusalem is not the first “acquisition of territory by war” is
unilateral US move and calls for instance in recent past of New inadmissible and called for the
compliance with Security Council Delhi’s such actions. withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from
resolutions on the status of the city  India had supported a move occupied territories, including East
which is also claimed by Palestine as by Mauritius to assert its Jerusalem. The UNSC resolution 476,
its capital. Most of the countries also sovereignty over Chagos adopted in 1980, reiterated the
views East Jerusalem as a part of illegality of any move to alter the status
Palestine. Archipelago controlled by of Jerusalem, and asked all countries
The Indian vote came days after Britain. “that have established diplomatic
New Delhi-based envoys of Arab  It sends clear signals that New missions at Jerusalem to close such
countries in a coordinated move met Delhi has the credential to be missions from the city. India has
the Ministry of External Affairs officials counted as a global player. endorsed the position of UNGA and
and were forthright in expressing their UNSC on Jerusalem.
worry to Minister of State for External On the other hand, India’s relations,
Affairs M.J. Akbar over New Delhi’s Qatar, which were visited by Modi in especially defence and economic, with
stand. After that, the MEA went public 2015 and 2016, remitted US$28.2 Israel has been on a sustained upswing
with a cryptic statement that India’s billion to India’s household economy since the diplomatic ties were
stance will be rooted in its own “views in 2015. The UAE Ambassador to India established in 1991 under Congress
and interests (and) not determined by had announced that the US$75 billion rule in India when PV Narasimha Rao
any third country”. sovereign wealth fund for India had was Prime Minister. That subsequently
These national interests are been opened up with US$1 billion the BJP dispensations took the ties
increasingly reflected in India’s already transferred to India’s National with Israel forward only reflects the
stepped-up engagement with its Arab Infrastructure and Investment Fund. bipartisan domestic support in India
and Persian Gulf countries. Oil and gas Clearly, the concerns in the Arab in close relations with that country.
supplies from West Asian accounting world have increased as India-Israel India’s vote on Jerusalem issue has
for almost 60% of India’s energy ties have improved. What has not gone been viewed by some analysts as
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