Human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the obligation to ensure accountability and justice
Year
2026
UN Body
Human Rights Council
Session
61
Session Type
Regular
Symbol
Agenda Item
2
Country Concerned
Israel
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.
- 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. In addition, it endorses the July 19, 2024 ICJ advisory opinion against Israel, including the charge that Israel is in violation of the prohibition against apartheid.
- The resolution accuses Israel of violating the October 2025 ceasefire while failing to hold Hamas responsible for its violations, thus giving it a free pass. The resolution also deplores the Israeli legislation banning UNRWA and endorses the October 2025 ICJ advisory opinion mandating Israel to cooperate with that agency notwithstanding its documented ties to Hamas.
- 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 terrorist groups, the resolution also completely fails to address Palestinian violations.
Main Sponsors
Organization of Islamic Cooperation except Albania
Vote
Yes - 24, No - 4, Abstain - 19, Absent - 0
Key Praise
None
Key Criticism
- "Demands that Israel, the occupying Power, end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, as rapidly as possible…"
- "Also demands that Israel immediately lift its illegal blockade on the Gaza Strip and all other forms of collective punishment and siege."
- "Deplores violations of the ceasefire agreement and calls for respect for and the full implementation of the agreement, in all its phases, including unimpeded humanitarian assistance and the urgent restoration of basic necessities to the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip…"
- "Condemns the use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare in the Gaza Strip…"
- "Expresses grave concern at statements by Israeli officials and recalls the order on provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice on 26 January 2024 under which Israel shall take all measures within its power to prevent and punish the direct and public incitement to commit genocide…"
- "Welcomes the ongoing investigation by the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court into the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory…"
- "Urges all States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court to uphold their international legal obligations to cooperate fully with the International Criminal Court to enforce its arrest warrant against those who have allegedly committed war crimes and crimes against humanity."
- "Deplores the grave violations of multiple peremptory norms by Israel, and calls upon all States to ensure that their arms exports do not contribute to or benefit from this unlawful situation."
- "Calls upon all States to cease the sale, transfer and diversion of arms, munitions and other military equipment to Israel, the occupying Power…"
- "Deplores the grave violations of multiple peremptory norms by Israel, and calls upon all States to ensure that their arms exports do not contribute to or benefit from this unlawful situation."
- "Calls upon all States to cease the sale, transfer and diversion of arms, munitions and other military equipment to Israel, the occupying Power…"
- "Deplores the persistent non-cooperation of Israel with the special procedures of the Human Rights Council and other United Nations mechanisms…"
- "Also demands that Israel, the occupying Power, cease all illegal actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, including the establishment and expansion of settlements…"
- "Demands that Israel, the occupying Power, comply with its legal obligations under international law, as mentioned by the International Court of Justice in its advisory opinion rendered on 9 July 2004 and demanded by the General Assembly in its resolutions ES-10/13 of 21 October 2003 and ES-10/15 of 20 July 2004…"
- "Expresses grave concern at the restrictions imposed by Israel that impede the access of Christian and Muslim worshippers to holy sites in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem…"
- "Demands that Israel, the occupying Power, comply fully with international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law …"
- "Recalls the conclusion of the International Court of Justice, in its advisory opinion of 19 July 2024, that Israeli legislation and measures targeting Palestinians amount to prohibited discrimination in violation of article 3 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination…"
- "Demands that Israel take immediate measures to prohibit and eradicate all policies and practices of systemic discrimination on the basis, inter alia, of race, religion or ethnic origin…"
- "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…"
- "Deplores the legislation adopted by the Knesset on 28 October 2024 and on 29 December 2025, and the attacks on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East premises…"
- "Condemns the recent deregistration of humanitarian International nongovernmental organizations operating in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, pursuant to newly imposed Israeli registration requirements…"
- "Reiterates its request to the Commission of Inquiry, as mandated by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 55/28 of 5 April 2024 and resolution 58/2 of 2 April 2025, to report on both the direct and the indirect transfer or sale of arms, munitions, parts, components and dual-use items to Israel, the occupying Power…"
Full Vote
-
Yes24
- Angola
- Brazil
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- Ivory Coast
- Cuba
- Egypt
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Iceland
- Indonesia
- Iraq
- Kuwait
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Pakistan
- Qatar
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Switzerland
- Thailand
- Vietnam
-
No4
- Bulgaria
- Czechia
- Ethiopia
- North Macedonia
-
Abstain19
- Albania
- Benin
- Bolivia
- Burundi
- Cyprus
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Estonia
- France
- India
- Italy
- Japan
- Kenya
- Malawi
- Marshall Islands
- Netherlands
- South Korea
- United Kingdom
-
Absent0