India Votes Against Israel In UNHRC; Indians Unhappy

Israel has an old friend in India.

When most of the world is supporting the terror organization HAMAS and their assault over both – Israel and Palestine, Indians stormed social media with messages that they were standing united with Israel.

When external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj took a diplomatic stand and refused to give in to the demands of secular liberals, who recently had a change of heart towards Palestine after losing seats in the Lok Sabha elections, Indians were joyous over their selection of the government.

But today, the Indians are questioning government’s intent.

The reason behind it is the fact that the country, along with BRICS countries on Wednesday, voted in support of a UN Human Rights Council resolution to launch a probe into Israel’s offensive on Gaza.

The Palestinian-drafted resolution on “Ensuring Respect for international law in The Occupied Palestinian Territories, including East Jersusalem,” is heavily pro-Hamas and rejects Israel’s right to defend itself.

The travesty is that India could have abstained from the vote just like European countries if it did not want to vote a clear ‘no’ like the US.

In the 47-member council, 29 countries voted in support of the resolution while 17 nations abstained.

Countries that voted in the affirmative are, in alphabetical order: Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, the Maldives, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, the United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, and Vietnam.

Countries that abstained are Austria, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, the Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Gabon, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Montenegro, South Korea, Romania, the Republic of Macedonia, and the United Kingdom.

The voting came as bloodbath in the Gaza Strip continued unabated today with Israel and Hamas refusing to back down in the 16-day conflict that has killed over 680 Palestinians and 31 Israelis. Earlier, India had asked Israel and Palestine to demonstrate political will to agree to a ceasefire and return to the negotiating table.

“We remain hopeful that a sustainable ceasefire will be reached between the two sides, linked to the resumption of the peace process, for a comprehensive resolution of the Palestinian issue,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Asoke Mukerji said at the U.N. Security Council open debate on ‘The Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question’.

He said India is “deeply concerned” at the steep escalation in the conflict between Israel and Palestine that has resulted in a large number of civilian casualties and heavy damage to property

With this, the supporters of Narendra Modi-led BJP government registered their disappointment on social media:

Congratulations @narendramodi @SushmaSwaraj , ppl who never voted for u/Party support ur stand on #UNHRC .. Ppl who voted for u.. Never mind

— Oddinary life (@Brahamvakya) July 24, 2014

.@PMOIndia the PM owes an explanation to the nation as to why the U-turn on Israel after a stand taken in the RS by the Govt.

— Maya S (@balamy) July 24, 2014

 

The government needs to explain what national interest was served by ditching good friend Israel at UNHRC

— Oldtimer (@auldtimer) July 24, 2014

 

@narendramodi India didn’t vote against ISRAEL in UNHRC. It voted against India and Indians. I am no more modi supporter. #IndiaWithIsrael

— JK (@jagankris) July 24, 2014

 

Dear @netanyahu, respect for you has only increased after our leader @narendramodi failed us Indians voting against you. #IndiaWithIsrael

— Category5Moron (@Category5Moron) July 24, 2014

 

I don’t know if #IndiaWithIsrael still holds true after vote against Israel. As an Indian I oppose and reject the vote and #IamWithIsrael .

— Kanchan Gupta (@KanchanGupta) July 23, 2014

 

Meanwhile, the international media has started speaking against Hamas’ action. Reporters have tweeted live from Gaza that Hamas is using humans as a shield.

On Wednesday, Peter Stefanovic of Australia’s Channel Nine News tweeted: “Hamas rockets just launched over our hotel from a site about two hundred metres away. So a missile launch site is basically next door.”

Financial Times Jerusalem Bureau Chief John Reed reported seeing “two rockets fired toward Israel from near al-Shifa hospital, even as more bombing victims were brought in.”

Wall Street Journal photographer Nick Casey tweeted on Tuesday a photo of a Hamas official using Shifa hospital for media interviews, writing: “You have to wonder w the shelling how patients at Shifa hospital feel as Hamas uses it as a safe place to see interviews.”

On Sunday, Janis Mackey Frayer, a correspondent for Canada’s CTV, tweeted that, while in Gaza City’s Shejaiya’s neighborhood, she “saw several Hamas gunmen. One passed dressed in a woman’s headscarf… tip of a gun poked out from under cloak.”

Harry Fear, a journalist from the UK reporting from Gaza for RT (formerly Russia Today) television, tweeted last week: “Early morning Gaza rockets were fired into Israel. A well-known site in W. Gaza City, near my hotel, was among the origins, confirm locals.”

India has knowingly changed its stance. Now what is the reason behind it is yet to be known.