Nepal Remains Neutral as UN Passes Resolution on Israel's Withdrawal from Palestinian Territories

The United Nations General Assembly recently passed a proposal for Israel to withdraw from Palestinian territories, with Nepal choosing to remain neutral during the vote. The resolution, backed by 124 nations including Russia, China, France, and several South Asian countries, saw opposition from 14 countries, notably the United States, which was the only permanent member to vote against it.

Alongside Nepal, India, the United Kingdom, and 43 other nations abstained from the vote, neither supporting nor opposing the resolution. Nepal has long maintained diplomatic relations with both Israel and Palestine, advocating for peaceful resolutions to their conflicts. Diplomatic ties between Nepal and Israel were established in 1960, making Nepal the first Asian country to recognize Israel.

Despite Nepal’s neutrality, the country has connections to the region. Many Nepali students travel to Israel for agricultural studies while working there. Recently, during the October 7 attack by Hamas, 10 Nepalis were among the 1,200 people killed, with one Nepali, Bipin Joshi, still missing.

Internationally, both the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC) have taken steps to address the conflict, including declaring Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories illegal and filing cases against key figures involved in the conflict.