India has voted in favour of a United Nations General Assembly resolution reaffirming the rights of the Palestinian people and the Arab population of the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources. The resolution calls on Israel to stop actions that exploit, damage or deplete natural resources in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan.
The draft resolution, proposed by Uruguay, was considered by the 193-member UN General Assembly on November 11, 2026. India joined 150 other countries in supporting the measure, while seven countries, including Israel and the United States, voted against it. Eleven members abstained, according to the supplied report.
The vote places India's position on the resolution alongside the majority of countries supporting the reaffirmation of Palestinian rights over land, water and energy resources.
What Does the UN Resolution Say?
Titled Permanent Sovereignty of the Palestinian People in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab Population in the Occupied Syrian Golan over Their Natural Resources, the resolution addresses control and protection of natural resources in the territories concerned.
It reaffirms the rights of the Palestinian people and the population of the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources, including land, water and energy.
The resolution demands that Israel cease activities involving the exploitation, damage, loss, depletion or endangerment of these resources. It also expresses concern over the impact of settlements and the construction of the separation wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including areas in and around East Jerusalem.
India Backs UN Committee Draft on Palestinian Rights Over Natural Resources
India has voted in favour of a United Nations draft resolution reaffirming the rights of the Palestinian people and the Arab population of the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources. The measure calls on Israel to stop exploiting, damaging or depleting resources in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan.
The draft was approved on November 11, 2026, by the UN General Assembly’s Second Committee, which deals with economic and financial matters. It received 151 votes in favour, seven against and 11 abstentions. India was among the countries supporting the proposal.
An important procedural distinction is that the November 11 vote was taken by the Second Committee, not by the full General Assembly in a plenary session. The draft was expected to proceed to the full Assembly for formal consideration.
How Did Countries Vote?
The proposal, introduced by Uruguay on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, received support from 151 countries.
Seven countries voted against it: the United States, Israel, Colombia, Paraguay, Palau, Nauru and the Federated States of Micronesia. Eleven countries abstained.
The vote reflects the positions taken by member states on the draft within the Second Committee. It does not, by itself, represent the final plenary adoption of the resolution by the full General Assembly.
What Does the Draft Resolution Demand?
Titled Permanent Sovereignty of the Palestinian People in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab Population in the Occupied Syrian Golan over Their Natural Resources, the draft reaffirms rights over land, water and energy resources.
It calls on Israel to cease the exploitation, damage, loss, depletion and endangerment of natural resources in the territories covered by the proposal.
The draft also addresses the environmental and infrastructure consequences of actions in the occupied territories. It calls for an end to activities that harm the environment, including the dumping of waste materials, and refers to damage to essential infrastructure such as water pipelines, sewage networks and electricity systems.
Settlements, Infrastructure and International Law
The text states that Israeli settlements and the separation wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including areas in and around East Jerusalem, are contrary to international law and affect Palestinian access to natural resources.
It also calls for compliance with relevant international legal obligations, including those addressed in the International Court of Justice’s July 2004 advisory opinion concerning the separation wall. The draft further urges an end to measures that alter the character and status of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Another part of the proposal focuses on the protection of civilian infrastructure, agricultural land and water wells. It calls for reconstruction and development efforts, including in the Gaza Strip.
Why Is the Vote Significant?
The Second Committee’s vote demonstrates the level of international support for the draft’s position on Palestinian and Syrian Golan natural-resource rights. It also records the differing positions of countries, including the United States and Israel, which voted against the proposal.
The resolution is part of a recurring series of UN measures addressing natural resources in the occupied territories. Its approval by the committee advances the proposal through the UN process, but the separate plenary stage remains important for formal General Assembly adoption.
For India, the vote records its support for the draft at the committee stage. The development also brings renewed attention to the international legal, environmental and economic dimensions of the Israeli-Palestinian issue.