New York: A top Indian diplomat on Tuesday raised concerns in the United Nations Security Council over the threats to the safety of maritime commercial traffic in the Indian Ocean, including some attacks near India, due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. R Ravindra, the Deputy Permanent Representative of India to the UN said the conflict has a direct bearing on India's own energy and economic interests and the situation must be recognised.
"The ongoing conflict is also impacting the safety of maritime commercial traffic in the Indian Ocean, including some attacks in the vicinity of India. This is a matter of great concern to the international community and has a direct bearing on India’s own energy and economic interests. This fraught situation is not to the benefit of any party, and this must be clearly recognised," Ravindra told members of the UNSC.
The deputy Indian envoy stressed that India has conveyed a clear message since the beginning of the war to prevent the escalation of the conflict and the continued delivery of humanitarian aid. He also highlighted India's assistance to Palestinians in war-torn Gaza by delivering shipments of relief material and providing $5 million to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
Reiterating New Delhi's long-standing support for a two-state solution, Ravindra said India firmly believes that only this solution, achieved through direct and meaningful negotiations between both sides on final status issues, will deliver an enduring peace that the people of Israel and Palestine desire and deserve.
"For this, we urge all parties to de-escalate, eschew violence, avoid provocative and escalatory actions, and work towards creating conditions for an early resumption of direct peace negotiations,” he said. Meanwhile, Uzra Zeya, Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights of the US, called on Israeli leaders to take feasible precautions to minimise civilian harm in line with international law.
She also emphasised Hamas’ role in unleashing the conflict and condemned attacks in the wider region by Iran and its proxies. She also called for a strong Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and Gaza, even if this was “difficult to imagine”. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the 15-member Council that any refusal to accept the two-state solution by any party must be firmly rejected and stressed that Israeli leaders’ recent, clear and repeated rejection of a two-state solution is unacceptable.
Israel’s representative, urged the council to shift its focus towards addressing the real, significant security threats in the Middle East, which is suffering from “cancer” — the continuous threat posed by Hamas, which exploits international aid to turn Gaza into “a war machine”, as well as the “genocidal goals of annihilating Israel” pursued by Hamas during the October 7 attacks where over 1,200 Israelis were killed.
Situation in the Middle East
The Israel-Hamas war has threatened to widen in the Middle East after Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen started attacking commercial vessels in the Red Sea since November to express solidarity with Palestinians against Israel's devastating retaliation for the October 7 attacks. On Monday, the US and British forces conducted a second joint attack against the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen, targeting a Houthi underground storage site along with missile and surveillance capabilities in eight locations, according to the Pentagon.
The Houthi attacks have disrupted global shipping and stoked fears of global inflation. They have also deepened concern that fallout from the Israel-Hamas war could destabilise the Middle East. The Houthis, who control the most populous parts of Yemen, have said their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians as Israel's operations in Gaza intensify.
So far, the eight rounds of strikes over the past month have failed to stop Houthi attacks against shipping. Experts say Biden's emerging strategy on Yemen aims to weaken the Houthi militants but stops well short of trying to defeat the group or directly address Iran. The confrontation risks an expansion of the conflict beyond Hamas-governed Gaza, where the local health ministry says over 25,000 people - or more than 1 per cent of Gaza's 2.3 million population - have been killed in Israel's assault. Iran backs Hamas, Lebanon-based group Hezbollah and the Houthi rebels in Yemen, and their involvement in the war has drawn strong condemnation from Western countries.
UNGA President praises India on Security Council reform
Meanwhile, UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis praised India for its engagement in UN Security Council reform, even as he acknowledged that progress on the issue has been “too slow”. “Well, I am acutely aware that India together with its G4 negotiating bloc on Security Council Reform, are clearly for a much more ambitious timeline to conclude the process within a period of two years," he said.
Francis is on an official visit to India from January 22 to 26 and will hold bilateral discussions with the leadership and representatives of the Indian Government, and engage with civil society, leading think tanks, embark on field visits and participate in events related to sustainability, multilateralism, accessibility, and digital public infrastructure, among other engagements.
The top UN official stressed that India, as a diverse democracy that is home to one-sixth of humanity, plays an “unparalleled role in our global mission” to create a safer, more equal, and sustainable world. “India’s recent G20 Presidency marked a historic milestone, not only for the country but in ensuring that the benefits of such a unique opportunity are equitably shared with fellow developing countries; as evidenced by the ushering in of the African Union into the G20 as a permanent member, for the first time – a strong symbol of solidarity and cooperation across the Global South,” he said.
The Security Council has 5 permanent and 10 non-permanent members. India has long been seeking a permanent membership at the UNSC, strongly calling for reform of the United Nations in line with the changing realities of the world. The five permanent members are the UK, China, Russia, the US and France.
(with inputs from PTI)
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