Israel thanks India for voting in its favour at UN against Palestine organisation

New Delhi:Israel on Tuesday formally thanked India for its crucial vote at the UN's Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to deny observer status to a Palestinian human rights organisation named 'Shahed'.  

"Thank you India for standing with Israel in UN and rejecting the request of terrorist organization 'Shahed' to obtain the status of an observer in UN," tweeted Deputy Chief of mission at the Israel embassy in Delhi Maya Kadosh.

''Together we (India and Israel) will continue to act against terrorist organizations that intend to harm," she further wrote.

This voting on June 6 has been a rare occasion when India has voted in favour of Israel vis-a-vis on a matter involving Palestine. Media reports said following the diplomatic efforts by Israel led by its Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon, 28 out of 48 countries in the UN's Economic and Social Council objected to granting the special status to the organisation. 

Besides India, among the countries that voted in favor of Israel are Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and the United States. 

However, the countries that voted against include Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Egypt, Iran, Morocco and Yemen.

The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is one of the principal organs of the United Nations responsible for coordinating the economic and social field activities of the organisation. 

The Council serves as the central forum for discussing international economic and social issues and formulating policy recommendations addressed to member states and the UN system.

'Shahed', according to Israeli foreign ministry sources, is a Palestinian organization based in Lebanon that claims to deal with human rights and humanitarian issues, "but in practice is an organization that Israel has declared a terrorist organization and in fact operates as an arm of the Hamas terror organization in Lebanon".

The resolution, initiated by the Israeli delegation to the United Nations against the granting of status, was adopted by majority of the members of the UN Economic and Social Council.

"Israel will continue to be vigilant and will continue to act against terrorist organizations that intend it harm," an announcement by Israeli foreign ministry said.

There has been 'improvement' in bilateral ties between India and Israel especially under the stewardship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.(UNI)