UN Human Rights Chief: Israeli force used against Gaza protesters ‘wholly disproportionate’
UN Human Rights Council Resolution
The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council (HRC) ended a special session today with a resolution by Member States to investigate weeks of violence on the Israeli border with Gaza, which has claimed the lives of more than 100 people and left thousands wounded. The draft text of the resolution called for the Council to “investigate all alleged violations and abuses of international humanitarian law and international human rights law” in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and particularly the occupied Gaza Strip, since March 30th.
March 30th is the date when Palestinian demonstrations, dubbed “the Great March of Return”, began along the border with Israel. The resolution was adopted by 29 votes in favor, with two against and 14 abstentions. The two votes against were the United States and Australia.
Palestinians have exactly the same human rights as Israelis do. They have the same rights to live safely in their homes, in freedom, with adequate and essential services and opportunities.
– Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, High Commissioner for Human Rights
87 Palestinians dead, including 12 children
A day earlier, 60 Palestinian demonstrators in Gaza were killed by Israeli forces, marking the highest one-day death toll in the territory since the 2014 hostilities. According to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, who addressed the council, 87 Palestinians have been killed during the protests, including 12 children, and more than 12,000 injured; 3,500 of them by live ammunition fire.
They are, in essence, caged in a toxic slum from birth to death; deprived of dignity; de-humanised by the Israeli authorities to such a point it appears officials do not even consider that these men and women have a right, as well as every reason, to protest.
– Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, High Commissioner for Human Rights
“Palestinians have exactly the same human rights as Israelis do. They have the same rights to live safely in their homes, in freedom, with adequate and essential services and opportunities” said the High Commissioner for Human Rights. “And of this essential core of entitlements due to every human being, they are systematically deprived”, he continued, adding: “They are, in essence, caged in a toxic slum from birth to death; deprived of dignity; de-humanised by the Israeli authorities to such a point it appears officials do not even consider that these men and women have a right, as well as every reason, to protest.”
Israel says it will not cooperate with Human Rights inquiry
The HRC High Commissioner also said that some demonstrators threw Molotov cocktails and used sling-shots to throw stones at Israeli soldiers, but this did not justify the use of lethal force and may be a breach of international law. Israel responded to the special session at the Human Rights Council saying that convening the meeting was evidence of its politically-motivated “anti-Israeli obsession”. Israel has stated it will not cooperate with the investigation.
Ambassador Aviva Raz Shechter, Permanent Representative of Israel to the UN, said that the “militant group” Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, and the Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank, had incited people to violence, by placing “as many civilians as possible – including women, children and journalists – in the line of fire”.
An extraordinary session of the Human Rights Council can only be called by the body’s 47 Member States and must also have the support of at least one-third of the membership. Today marked the 28th time that such a special session of the Council has been convened.
Related Articles:
- Israel Slaughters Dozens of Protesters, Trump Touts “Low Cost” of Embassy Move, May 15, 2018
- House Passes Bipartisan Resolution in Support of Israel, May 10, 2018
- Trump White House Formally Recognizes Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel, December 6, 2017
Resource Links:
- Force used against protestors in Gaza ‘wholly disproportionate’ says UN human rights chief, UN News, May 18, 2018
- Israel will not co-operate with UN human rights inquiry, The Irish Times, May 18, 2018
- Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights image credit, UN Photo/Violaine Martin
