Human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the obligation to ensure accountability and justice

Condemnatory

Yes

Analysis

• This resolution strongly condemns Israel for multiple serious violations, makes one-sided demands of Israel, and calls for an arms embargo against Israel. The resolution denies Israel's right to self-defense, repeatedly condemning Israel for various security measures taken to defend its citizens from Palestinian terrorism, including its blockade of Gaza, the West Bank security barrier, and West Bank security checkpoints. Likewise, it calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza without linking this to the release of Israeli hostages by Hamas and warns against an Israeli operation in Rafah, which Israel deems necessary to achieve its war goal of eliminating Hamas. If implemented, both of these measures would effectively ensure a Hamas victory, rewarding its heinous October 7th terrorist massacre.
• The resolution further accuses Israel of various crimes, including using starvation as a method of war, forcibly transferring Palestinians, and inciting genocide in its prosecution of the post-October 7th war in Gaza.
• Although adopted under Item 2 rather than the discriminatory Item 7, this resolution is completely one-sided with no praise for Israel. With the exception of a few lines condemning rocket attacks and the October 7th attack without naming Hamas or other terror groups and calling for the release of hostages, the resolution also completely fails to address Palestinian violations.

Main Sponsors

Organization of Islamic Cooperation, A/HRC/RES/55/28

Vote

Yes - 28, No - 6, Abstain - 13, Absent - 0

See Full Vote

Key Praise

None

Key Criticism

• "Expressing grave concern at reports of serious human rights violations and grave breaches of international humanitarian law, including of possible war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem…"
• "Deploring the grave consequences of the conflict in and around the Gaza Strip, including the high number of casualties…"
• "Demands that Israel, the occupying Power, end its occupation of the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem…"
• "Also demands that Israel immediately lift its blockade on the Gaza Strip and all other forms of collective punishment."
• "Calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, for immediate emergency humanitarian access and assistance, in particular through crossings and land routes, and for the urgent restoration of basic necessities to the Palestinian population in Gaza."
• "Condemns the use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare in Gaza, the unlawful denial of humanitarian access, wilful impediment to relief supplies and deprivation of objects indispensable to the survival of civilians, including food, water, electricity, fuel and telecommunications, by Israel, the occupying Power."
• "Expresses grave concern at statements by Israeli officials amounting to incitement to genocide, and demands that Israel uphold its legal responsibility to prevent genocide and fully abide by the provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice on 26 January 2024."
• "Welcomes the ongoing investigation of the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court into the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and looks forward to its continuation…"
• "Calls upon all States to cease the sale, transfer and diversion of arms, munitions and other military equipment to Israel, the occupying Power, in order to prevent further violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights…"
• "Condemns all acts of violence, including all acts of terror, provocation, incitement and destruction, including unlawful lethal and other excessive use of force by Israeli occupying forces against Palestinian civilians…"
• "Requests the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel to report on both the direct and indirect transfer or sale of arms, munitions, parts, components and dual use items to Israel, the occupying Power, including those that have been used during the Israeli military operation in Gaza since 7 October 2023, and to analyse the legal consequences of these transfers…"