New Delhi, Sep 12 : The New Delhi Declaration adopted at the XVIII BRICS Summit on Saturday steers a stern diplomatic line on West Asia, expressing alarm, demanding restraint, and reaffirming positions on Palestine, Lebanon and Syria. While carefully avoiding direct condemnation of Israel by name, it catalogues violations that squarely implicate Israeli conduct in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
The declaration expresses “deep concern” on the situation in Cuba due to tightening of “unilateral blockade measures”, although it does not name the US, and reiterates the necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial measures against Cuba in accordance with the UNGA resolution.
The declaration expresses “deep concern over the continued escalation of tensions in Middle East/West Asia” and called for “exercising maximum restraint,” urging protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure “in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.”
On Gaza specifically, the bloc expresses deep concern on the continued violence despite the ceasefire agreement of October 2025.
“We call for the implementation of the relevant UNGA and UNSC Resolutions and urge all parties to ensure the maintenance of ceasefire and full and unhindered humanitarian access in the Gaza Strip. In this context, we express deep concern on the continued violence in Gaza despite the ceasefire agreement of October 2025. We call for halting any policies aimed at forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza Strip and express concern regarding arrangements that may prejudice the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and legitimize or prolong occupation,” the declaration says.
The declaration condemns violations of international humanitarian law “including the use of starvation as a method of warfare, attacks targeting civilians and civilian objects, including healthcare facilities,” and the “unlawful obstruction of humanitarian access”. These are excesses widely attributed to the Israeli military in rights groups’ and UN reporting, though the text itself remained agent-neutral, using passive constructions throughout.
“We reiterate our grave concern about the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including the humanitarian situation in Gaza. We call for adherence to international law, in particular to international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and condemn all their violations, including the use of starvation as a method of warfare, attacks targeting civilians and civilian objects, including healthcare facilities and other civilian infrastructure, as well as the unlawful obstruction of humanitarian access. We also condemn attempts to politicize or militarize humanitarian assistance,” it says.
The declaration also notes the International Court of Justice’s provisional measures in the case brought by South Africa against Israel, which “reaffirmed Israel’s legal obligation to ensure the provision of humanitarian aid in Gaza”.
On the broader Palestinian question, the bloc reaffirms support for Palestine’s full UN membership “in the context of the unwavering commitment to the two-state solution,” anchored to the 1967 borders “which included the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, with East Jerusalem as its capital.” It rejects “any unilateral measures that seek to alter the legal and historical status of occupied Jerusalem” and expresses “firm opposition to the forced displacement, temporary or permanent, under any pretext” of Palestinians from occupied territory.
On Lebanon, the declaration welcomes the ceasefire and calls on “all parties to strictly adhere to its terms,” but directs its sharpest language at Israel by name: it calls “on Israel to respect the terms agreed with the Lebanese government and to withdraw its occupying forces from all of the Lebanese territories, in which they remain.” The bloc also condemns attacks on UNIFIL installations and personnel, extending condolences for the deaths of four Indonesian peacekeepers and other UNIFIL casualties, and demanding accountability for the incidents.
On Syria, the declaration backs “an inclusive Syrian-led and Syrian-owned, UN facilitated political process, free from foreign interference,” while pressing Damascus to act against terrorism, and separately reaffirms “the necessity of the withdrawal of occupying forces from Syria”.
