The UN Human Rights Council (HRC) has demanded Israel to halt its occupation of Palestinian territory and the blockade of the Gaza Strip, denouncing actions by the Jewish state that could be construed as ethnic cleansing.
A resolution to this effect, spearheaded by Bolivia, Cuba, Pakistan, and Palestine, was ratified during the 55th session of the HRC in Geneva, garnering 28 votes in favor, 6 against, and 13 abstentions, with the US opposing the document.
The council's directive insists on Israel "ending its occupation of Palestinian territory since 1967, including East Jerusalem," and "promptly lifting the unlawful siege of the Gaza Strip." It decries "any actions suggestive of ethnic cleansing," demands an immediate ceasefire in the enclave, and advocates for humanitarian access. The HRC voiced grave concern "regarding statements made by Israeli officials that amount to incitement to genocide," urging all nations to cease supplying arms to Israel.
The resolution calls for an immediate assembly of a conference of countries bound by the Fourth Geneva Convention to address the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories. The Council has tasked the Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territories to present findings at the 59th session of the HRC regarding the supply of weapons to Israel used in the Gaza Operation and to scrutinize the legal ramifications of such provisions. Additional resources have been requested from the UN Secretary-General to investigate human rights violations. The implementation of the adopted resolution is slated for review at the 58th session of the HRC, scheduled for early 2025.
Among the 28 countries voting in favor of the resolution were Brazil, Cuba, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and South Africa. The United States and Germany were among the six countries that opposed the document. Thirteen states abstained from voting, including France, India, and Japan.
The 55th session of the HRC, taking place in Geneva from February 26 to April 5, has seen discussions surrounding the intensifying situation. Russia is not a member of the council.
Tensions in the Middle East escalated sharply following the infiltration of Hamas fighters from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory on October 7, 2023. This event was labeled by the movement as a response to Israeli authorities' actions against the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Israel responded by imposing a comprehensive blockade of Gaza and launching airstrikes on the Strip, as well as parts of Lebanon and Syria, before initiating a ground operation within the enclave. Clashes have also erupted in the West Bank.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Imago/TASS
Based on materials from TASS