India has voted in favour of a UN resolution endorsing the Goldstone report that requires Israel and Palestine to investigate war crimes in the Gaza Strip, after initially expressing reservations about it.
Expressing support for the resolution, Indian Deputy Envoy to the United Nations, Manjeev Singh Puri told PTI, "Our commitment to the Palestinian cause is complete."
Puri, however, noted that India could not make an "unqualified endorsement". "We do not approve of the referral to the Security Council and the ICC," he said.
The 192-member world body approved the resolution by a vote of 114-18, with 44 abstentions and 16 countries not voting.
India had maintained that the report should have addressed its recommendations solely to the Human Rights Council in Geneva and not to other UN institutions, including the Security Council.
The main recommendation of the report is for the Security Council to require Israel and Palestinian authority to report within six months on domestic prosecutions it carries.
If the two governments fail in this task, the UNSC should refer the matter to the prosecutor of International Criminal Court (ICC), says the report.
If the two governments fail in this task, the UNSC should refer the matter to the prosecutor of International Criminal Court (ICC), says the report.