While asserting that issues of terrorism and hostage-taking cannot be underplayed or ignored, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday reiterated India’s support for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Speaking in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, he explained the reasons for India’s decision to abstain from voting in some of the resolutions regarding the Gaza conflict in the United Nations General Assembly.

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In response to TMC MP Saket Gokhale’s question on India’s stance on a two-state solution to Palestine, Mr Jaishankar said, “We support the two-state solution and we have been public and unambiguous about that. So, there should be no cause for confusion regarding the two-state solution.”

On being asked about the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former defence chief Yoav Gallant and Hamas leader Mohammad Deif, Mr Jaishankar pointed out that India is not a member of ICC. “The honourable member would be aware that India is not a member of the International Criminal Court. When the International Criminal Court was constituted, the question of our membership was considered. For very good reason after a great deal of deliberation, India considered not becoming a member. So, with regard to any decision passed by the ICC, it is not binding on us. So, it is not a matter on which we have taken a formal position.”

Elaborating on the details regarding India’s assistance for Palestine, the minister said India gives an annual contribution of $5 million to The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which he called the “main assistance-providing agency.”

As regards India’s abstentions from some UN resolutions regarding Gaza, Mr Jaishankar said the resolutions that “do not reflect the entire reality” of the situation by downplaying the October 7 terror attack by Hamas, can’t be supported by India, which is itself a ‘victim of terrorism’.

In response to a query raised by DMK MP Tiruchi Siva on India abstaining from voting in a resolution on Gaza in UNGA, he said, “With regard to the particular resolution, which the honourable member referred to, we abstained, in fact, during this period, there have been in the General Assembly a number of resolutions, we have voted in favour of many, we have abstained on some.”

“Generally, when we abstain, the reasons are the resolution is not very balanced, the resolution is more divisive, the resolution can set a precedent which has consequences for us. The resolution has larger implications. In this particular case, we felt that the resolution was not well-drafted, it was not well-considered. We had reservations on the language. Our concerns were not accommodated and that is why we abstained,” he added.

He noted that the wording of the resolution is important and India chose not to support those resolutions, as they had no mentions of hostage-taking or terrorism, adding that India takes a very mature view of the resolution.