Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday skipped the BRICS extraordinary meeting on Gaza that saw some heads of state/government call for a ceasefire and urge countries to stop sending arms to all parties including Israel.
External affairs minister S. Jaishankar stressed the need for restraint but India was not among the countries which called for an end to arming either side. Also, India did not bring up what many see as Israel inflicting collective punishment on Palestinians for the actions of Hamas or go into the specifics of the situation in Gaza.
Addressing the virtual meeting, Jaishankar said: “Right now there is an urgent need to ensure that humanitarian aid and relief effectively and safely reach the population of Gaza. It is also imperative that all hostages are released. We believe that there is a universal obligation to observe international humanitarian law.”
Pointing out that the immediate crisis was triggered by the terrorist attack of October 7, Jaishankar essentially articulated India’s consistent position; insisting that there can be no compromise with terrorism while advocating the two-state solution to the Palestine issue.
“The international community is today facing a very complex situation that has many dimensions. We have to address them all; and yet, have to prioritise. Our endeavour should be to both make a difference on the ground immediately while also creating conditions for lasting solutions,” Jaishankar added.
South Africa and Saudi Arabia — which will become full members of BRICS in January — were among the countries which urged countries to refrain from supplying arms to all parties. Saudi Arabia specifically said arms should not be supplied to Israel.
Chinese president Xi Jinping said the parties to the conflict must end hostilities and achieve a ceasefire immediately. “The collective punishment of people in Gaza in the form of forced transfer or water, electricity and fuel deprivation must stop.”
In his opening remarks, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa — who took the lead as BRICS chair to convene the meeting — said: “The actions by Israel are in clear violation of international law, including the UN Charter and the Geneva Convention read together with its protocols.... Hamas has also violated international law and must be held accountable for these actions.”
Stating that the “collective punishment of Palestinian civilians through the unlawful use of force by Israel is a war crime”, the South African President added: “The deliberate denial of medicine, fuel, food and water to the residents of Gaza is tantamount to genocide.”
