The United Nations Human Rights Council has decided to create an open-ended investigation into the “crimes and systemic abuses” by Israel against the Palestinians during the latest rounds of attacks on Gaza and West bank.
The decision came following a vote by the council in which 24 members voted for while 9 opposed the motion and 14 abstained. The motion submitted by the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Palestinian Delegation is set to scrutinize the abuses and violations by the Israeli forces in an unprecedented level.
Fiji’s Ambassador to the UN and current President of the Geneva forum Nazhath Shameem Khan stated “The draft resolution.. is therefore adopted” bringing inn this historic win for the Palestinians as the UN Human Rights Council launches its first permanent fact finding operation against any of its members.
The resolution was however, rejected by the Israeli Foreign Ministry which stated that it would not cooperate with the investigation. Israeli ambassador to the UN Geneva also rejected the voting session stating that it is just another example of the council’s bias against Israel.
Palestinian authorities welcomes the resolution and called their actions against Israel as a “legitimate resistance”.
UN Human Right Commissioner Michelle Bachelet also voiced deep concern over “High level of civilian fatalities and injuries” caused by Israeli forces. The attacks on Gaza was also condemned by the UN Special Rapporteur on Palestinian Territories, Michael Lynk who called for the Israeli attacks on Palestine to be investigated by the International Criminal Court.
He also stated that Gaza is the world’s largest open-air prison “that is a tiny sliver of land, holding more than two million people under occupation, cut off from the outside world by a comprehensive and illegal air, sea and land blockade.”.
He further described the Israeli abusing of the Palestinians as a “stain on humanity” as he stated “”When intensive violence revisits the Palestinians in Gaza, as it regularly does, there is no escape. That this medieval restriction on basic freedoms has gone on for 14 years, and counting, is a harrowing stain on our humanity,”.
Source: TRT World.