“Stop Arms Sale to Israel”
Geneva, Apr 5 (EFE).-
The United Nations Human Rights Council passed a resolution on Friday condemning Israel’s treatment of civilians in Gaza and demanding a halt in all arms sales to the Jewish state.
The resolution highlighted warnings of “genocide” in Israel’s war in Gaza, which has killed more than 33,000 people, a majority of them women and children, and highlighted Israeli actions like impeding access to water and limiting shipments of humanitarian aid into Palestinian areas.
The 47-member-country council approved the resolution on the final day of its 55th session, with 28 votes in favor, six against, and 13 abstentions, including from France, India, Japan, and the Netherlands.
Initially proposed by Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the strongly-worded text called for an end to Israel’s occupation of territories since 1967, including Jerusalem, the lifting of the blockade on the strip, and an end to all forms of collective punishment.
It also expressed deep concern over statements by Israeli officials amounting to incitement to genocide and urged an end to arms sales to Israel to prevent further violations of international humanitarian law.
The document urged all countries to “cease the sale, transfer, and diversion of arms, munitions, and other military equipment to Israel… to prevent further violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights.”
It condemned Israel’s use of explosive weapons in populated areas of Gaza “and the use of artificial intelligence to assist in making military decisions that may contribute to the commission of international crimes.”
Among those voting in favor were other European Union countries like Belgium and Finland, as well as China, Cuba, various Arab and African states, and Chile.
Those who voted against it, including the United States, Germany, and Argentina, clarified that they did so because the document, while also condemning the attacks of Oct. 7 that began the conflict, did not include explicit condemnations of Hamas.
Following the adoption of the resolution, Israeli Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Meirav Eilon Shahar, regretted the step taken by the council, often criticized by Israeli authorities for its alleged bias against their interests.
She said the countries that voted in favor of the resolution have shown that “Israelis do not matter, that the killing of Jews, the rape of Israeli women does not matter.”
Her Palestinian counterpart Ibrahim Khraishi pointed out the countries opposed to the condemning resolution, “who call for accountability worldwide but when it comes to Israel, their position changes.”
“How can they justify to their children what is seen now, this live and direct genocide? 14,000 Palestinian children and 9,000 women are non-combatants,” he said.
The Palestinian delegation, at the last minute, agreed to remove some more controversial lines from the resolution, such as those accusing Israel of actions that could constitute “ethnic cleansing” or being “a threat to international peace and security”.
Meanwhile, at least 54 Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of deaths since the start of the war to 33,091.
According to the Gaza health ministry controlled by Hamas, 75,750 people have been injured in the 182 days of war, with an estimated over 7,000 bodies missing under the rubble of the buildings destroyed by Israeli bombings.
Over 73 percent of the dead are women and children, with more than 14,500 minors killed, making the war the deadliest for children in years. EFE
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