Context: The UN General Assembly has overwhelmingly approved a resolution supporting a declaration that calls for tangible, timebound, and irreversible steps toward a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians, without the involvement of Hamas.
Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Israel and the Palestinian conflict; Two-state Solution.
India votes in favour of UNGA resolution on Palestine:
- Recently, India voted in favour of a resolution in the UN General Assembly that endorses the ‘New York Declaration' on peaceful settlement of the Palestine issue and implementation of the two-state solution.
- Asserting that the war in Gaza must end, the declaration said that Gaza is an integral part of a Palestinian State and must be unified with the West Bank. There must be no occupation, siege, territorial reduction, or forced displacement.
- The resolution was adopted with an overwhelming 142 nations voting in favour. Those voting against included Israel, the US etc.
What is the Two-state Solution?
- The two-state solution is an internationally backed formula for peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
- It proposes an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza, with East Jerusalem as its capital. It would exist alongside Israel.
- The Palestinian Authority backs a two-state solution but Hamas does not recognise Israel’s legitimacy.
- Israel rejects a two-state solution. It says any final settlement must be the result of negotiations with the Palestinians, and statehood should not be a precondition.
India announced its recognition of Israel in 1950 and has recognised Palestine in 1988. India has long advocated the need to bring about a Two-State solution through purposeful dialogue and diplomacy.
Genocide in Gaza: UN Commission of Inquiry:
- After a multi-year investigation, the UN Commission of Inquiry has concluded that Israeli authorities have committed genocide in Gaza.
- The UN Commission found reasonable grounds to conclude that four of the five genocidal acts have been carried out since the Gaza war began following Hamas’s October 2023 attack in Israel. They include:
- killing members of a community
- serious bodily and mental harm
- actions aimed at destroying the group
- preventing births
Also Read: Is Israel committing Genocide in Gaza?
The International Court of Justice is hearing genocide charges against Israel, and the International Criminal Court had issued an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2024.