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India abstains from voting on UNHRC resolution for a probe in recent violence in Gaza

Twenty four nations voted in favour of conducting an inquiry

United Nations Holocaust Memorial

India on Thursday skipped voting on the United Nations Human Rights Council's resolution to open an international investigation into violations that occurred during the latest Gaza violence, including an inquiry into ‘systematic’ abuses in the Palestinian territories and Israel.

 India was among 13 other nations, who chose to sit out the vote.

This is the council's first-ever open-ended commission of inquiry -- the highest-level investigation that can be ordered by the council.

Twenty four nations voted in favour of conducting an inquiry, while nine voted against it. Countries that chose to skip the vote included France, Italy, Nepal and Japan. Pakistan, China, Bangladesh, Russia, Mexico and Sudan voted for an inquiry, while Germany, UK and Austria voted against it.

UN rights chief Michelle Bachele said Hamas’ "indiscriminate" firing of rockets at Israel was "a clear violation of international humanitarian law". And said that the "high level of civilian fatalities and injuries" from the attacks on Gaza, and warned the Israeli attacks on the enclave "may constitute war crimes".

In a statement at UNHRC on Thursday, India said it firmly believes that dialogue remains the only viable option that can effectively address the issues confronting the region and its people. It also said that India continues to assist Palestine with developmental aid including COVID-19-related assistance. In the statement, also said that India calls on all parties to show extreme restraint, desist from actions that would unilaterally change the existing status quo, including in East Jerusalem and its neighbourhoods.

Israel rejected the resolution adopted by the Geneva forum and said it would not cooperate. Israeli Prime Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement accused the forum of whitewashing “a genocidal terrorist organisation”, AFP reports.

Palestinian foreign ministry lauded the move and said the investigators should probe the "underlying root causes of recurrent tensions and instability, including systematic discrimination and repression based on group identity".

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