India on Tuesday voted in favour of a draft resolution in the UN General Assembly that expressed deep concern over Israel not withdrawing from the Syrian Golan.
The 193-member UN General Assembly voted on the draft resolution ‘The Syrian Golan’ under agenda item ‘The situation in the Middle East’. The resolution, introduced by Egypt, was adopted by a recorded vote with 91 in favour, 8 against and 62 abstentions.
Australia, Canada, Israel, the UK and the US voted against the resolution.
The resolution said it is deeply concerned that Israel has not withdrawn from the Syrian Golan, which has been under occupation since 1967, contrary to the relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions. The resolution declared that Israel failed to comply with Security Council resolution 497 (1981), which decided that “the Israeli decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights is null and void and without international legal effect.”
It also demanded Israel’s withdrawal from all the occupied Syrian Golan to the line of June 4, 1967, in implementation of the relevant Security Council resolutions, and determined “that the continued occupation of the Syrian Golan and its de facto annexation constitute a stumbling block in the way of achieving a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the region.”
