The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) passed a non-binding resolution on Friday calling for Israel to be held accountable for potential war crimes and crimes against humanity. This was the first resolution passed by the UNHRC since the war in Gaza began.
The resolution was submitted by Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and was passed with 28 votes in favor, including the United States, 13 abstentions, and 6 votes against. When the resolution was passed, the Palestinian delegation and supporters cheered and applauded.
Palestinians were less than generous with their victory, complaining that too many Western countries still voted against condemning Israel. Germany joined the United States in voting against the resolution, while France and Japan abstained.
“There are calls for accountability all over the world, but when it comes to talking about Israel, that position changes.” complained Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations Ibrahim Quraishi.
Meanwhile, Israeli Ambassador Meirav Eilon Shahar said: condemned He said the resolution was “a stain on the Human Rights Council and the United Nations as a whole.”
Chahal said the UNHRC “has long abandoned the Israeli people and has long defended Hamas.”
“According to the resolution before you today, Israel has no right to protect its people, but Hamas has every right to kill and torture innocent Israelis. ‘s vote,’ she said.
“I don’t know if any of you have counted, but Israel appears in the resolution 59 times. 59 times. Hamas does not appear at all,” she said. told reporters before leaving the United Nations that day.
UNHRC resolution is surprising did not mention Hamas by name I don’t blame it either The October 7 atrocity and subsequent activities in Gaza, including the now proven use of hospitals as weapons depots and command centers.
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The resolution’s only acknowledgment of the brutal tactics employed by Hamas was a mild condemnation of the firing of rockets at civilian targets in Israel, a war crime committed almost daily by Hamas and its Iranian-backed allies. , which called for his “immediate release.” “All the hostages,” he said, without saying who they were or who was holding them captive.
U.S. Ambassador Michelle Taylor said the Biden administration’s failure to support the resolution was due to these omissions, but the Biden administration has taken an increasingly critical stance since the resolution and continues to criticize Israel. I am trying my best to do this, but airstrike Israel killed seven foreign aid workers in the Gaza Strip on Monday.
“The United States has repeatedly called on Israel to resolve conflicts between military operations against Hamas and humanitarian operations to avoid civilian casualties and allow humanitarian actors to carry out their critical missions safely.” said Taylor.
“That is not happening. In just six months, more humanitarians have been killed in this conflict than in any modern war,” she insisted.
The UNHRC resolution initially accused Israel of “genocide,” a phrase regularly used by the Palestinian delegation to the United Nations, but the reference to it expressed “serious concerns about statements by Israeli officials tantamount to incitement to genocide.” ‘I was relieved by his expression.
The resolution called for an “immediate ceasefire,” called on Israel to refrain from “any large-scale military operation against the city of Rafah,” and urged UN member states to “stop the continued forced displacement of Palestinians from within and outside of Gaza.” “I will.”
The document urges all countries to “prevent the sale, transfer, or diversion of arms, munitions, and other military equipment to Israel” in order to “prevent further violations of international humanitarian law and human rights abuses and abuses.” I am asking you to stop.”
The resolution accused Israel of using “civilian starvation as a means of warfare in Gaza,” but did not address Israeli claims that Hamas terrorists were looting aid trucks.
The resolution also called on Israel to “immediately lift the blockade of the Gaza Strip and all other forms of collective punishment.”
