NEW DELHI: India abstaining from voting on a United Nations resolution calling for a truce in Gaza is "shocking" and shows that Indian foreign policy is now shaped by "being a subordinate ally of US imperialism", the CPI(M) and the CPI said in a joint statement on Saturday.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and CPI General Secretary D Raja said in the statement -- titled Stop this Genocidal Aggression in Gaza -- that India's move negates India's longstanding support to the Palestinian cause.
"It is shocking that India abstained on a Resolution overwhelmingly adopted by the UN General Assembly calling for a humanitarian truce titled 'Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations' in the ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza," they said.
"India's abstention on a resolution that was overwhelmingly adopted shows the extent to which Indian foreign policy is being shaped by being a subordinate ally of US imperialism and the Modi government's actions for consolidating the US- Israel-India nexus. This negates India's longstanding support to the Palestinian cause," they said.
The two Left parties said as the United Nations General Assembly adopted this resolution, Israel stepped up its "genocidal air and ground attacks in the Gaza strip."
It has also cut off all communications in Gaza which is home to 2.2 million Palestinians, they said, calling for an immediate ceasefire. "Respecting the overwhelming mandate of the UN General Assembly there must be an immediate ceasefire. The United Nations must reenergize itself to implement the mandate of the Security Council for a 2-State solution with pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital of State of Palestine," they said.
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The 193 members of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), which met in a resumed 10th Emergency Special Session, voted on the draft resolution submitted by Jordan and co-sponsored by more than 40 nations including Bangladesh, Maldives, Pakistan, Russia and South Africa.
The resolution titled "Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations" was adopted with 120 nations voting in its favour, 14 against it and 45 abstaining.
Besides India, countries that abstained from voting included Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, Ukraine and the UK.
