Lobbying intensifies for India’s UNGA vote on Jerusalem 

Lobbying intensifies for India’s UNGA vote on Jerusalem 

Context

The draft resolution on the status of Jerusalem to be presented on Thursday expresses deep “regret” on the US’ stated position on Jerusalem and calls for “the final status of Jerusalem to be resolved through negotiations.”

Backdrop

International lobbying has intensified to get India on board for the session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Thursday where the biggest platform of the UN is likely to adopt a resolution in opposition to U.S. President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel

Arab League against the decision

The meeting of UNGA comes in the backdrop of a similar meeting of the Arab League which has asked for reversing of the decision even as Indian diplomats indicated that they will maintain that third parties do not decide Indian “foreign policy postures”.

India remains neutral

There was no indication from the MEA if India would support either party. 

Draft Resolution

The draft resolution on the status of Jerusalem to be presented on Thursday expresses deep “regret” on the US’ stated position on Jerusalem and calls for “the final status of Jerusalem to be resolved through negotiations.” A similar resolution was vetoed by the US at the UN Security Council although the US found itself isolated with all other members voting in favour

US watching closely the votes at UNGA

Using a sharp tone in a tweet after the UNSC vote, U.S. ambassador Nikki Haley indicated that the US will watch the individual votes in the UNGA closely. 

India should stay away from voting

• Academic Prof P.R. Kumaraswamy, an expert on Israeli politics in JNU said that India should stay away from the voting to show its opposition to the “exclusivist” approach by both the Palestinian and the Israeli sides.
• US declaration on Jerusalem can not become our problem. We have to point out that Jerusalem belongs to all its claimants and the claimants need to be reminded that they have repeatedly come up with exclusivist claims
• India should not even abstain
• Our representatives to the UN General Assembly should stay absent during the voting which will express our position effectively