The Crisis In The Middle East

India backs Palestine’s bid for full UN membership

Prelims Only | International Relations | Mains Paper 2: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and agreements involving India
Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: UN and its membership; Rights and privileges enjoyed by UN Member

Mains level: NA

Why in the news?

India has voted in favour of a UN General Assembly resolution recommending Palestine’s admission as a full member of the United Nations.

Arab push for Palestine’s Membership

  • The emergency special session was convened by the Arab Group, with the UAE presenting the resolution in support of Palestine’s full membership.
  • The resolution calls for the Security Council to “reconsider” Palestine’s membership favourably, based on its determination that Palestine is qualified for UN membership.
  • The resolution received overwhelming support, with 143 votes in favour, including India’s, nine against, and 25 abstentions.
  • As an observer state, Palestine currently lacks voting rights in the General Assembly and cannot nominate candidates to UN organs.

India’s Stance on Palestine:

  • In 1988, India recognized the State of Palestine.
  • In 1996, India opened its Representative Office to the Palestine Authority in Gaza, later relocating it to Ramallah in 2003.

About United Nations

Details
Background  Resulted from the devastation of World War I and II

Highlighted the need for a more effective international body to maintain peace and prevent future conflicts.
Predecessor The League of Nations, created in 1919 after World War I, aimed at peacekeeping but failed during World War II.
The Atlantic Charter Issued in August 1941 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt (USA) and Prime Minister Winston Churchill (UK), this document outlined principles for a post-war world and set the stage for the UN’s creation.
Naming The term “United Nations” was coined by President Roosevelt in 1941 to describe the allied nations opposed to the Axis powers.
Declaration by United Nations On January 1, 1942, representatives from 26 Allied nations, including India under British colonial rule, signed this declaration in Washington DC, formalizing their alliance and war objectives.
Official Formation UN was officially established on October 24, 1945, when its Charter was ratified by 51 member countries

It included 5 permanent Security Council members: France, Republic of China, Soviet Union, UK, and US.
First General Assembly The inaugural meeting of the UN General Assembly took place on January 10, 1946.
Core Goals
  1. To maintain international peace and security.
  2. To foster friendly relations among nations.
  3. To cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human rights.
  4. To be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations in attaining these common ends.
India’s Role India was a founding member of the United Nations, having signed the initial Declaration alongside 25 other Allied nations during World War II.

 

Rights and Privileges:

  • The rights and privileges of member states in the United Nations are designed to ensure that all members can effectively participate in the organization’s activities and benefit from its resources.

PYQ:

[2022] With reference to the “United Nations Credentials Committee”, consider the following statements:

  1. It is a committee set up by the UN Security Council and works under its supervision.
  2. It traditionally meets in March, June and September every year
  3. It assesses the credentials of all UN members before submitting a report to the General Assembly for approval.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 3 only
(b) 1 and 3
(c) 2 and 3
(d) 1 and 2

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