INDIA SUPPORTS UN RESOLUTION ON CONDEMNING ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS
Why in the News?
- India voted in favor of the United Nations resolution condemning settlement activities in the “Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan.”
- The resolution received overwhelming support with 145 nations voting in favor, while seven countries voted against it, and 18 abstained from voting.
- 7 countries, including Canada, Hungary, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, and the United States, voted against the resolution.
Previous UN Resolutions for Israel Hamas Conflict:
- In the previous UN General Assembly draft resolution submitted by Jordan, India abstained from voting.
- The resolution called for an immediate truce in the Israel-Hamas conflict but did not mention the Hamas terrorist group responsible for launching an attack on Israel.
- Of the 45 countries that abstained, 14 voted against, and 120 nations voted in favor, the resolution was overwhelmingly adopted.
Geography of the region
Israel:
- Situated in the Middle East on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea.
- Shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the east, and Egypt to the southwest.
Golan Heights:
- It is a region located to the northeast of Israel, historically a Syrian Territory.
- Characterised by hilly terrain and is strategically significant.
- Captured by Israel during the Six-Day War in 1967; its status is a subject of international debate.
Jerusalem:
- Holds cultural, religious, and historical significance for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
- Home to the Old City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, housing important religious sites like the Western Wall, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Dome of the Rock.