“Grave violations of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”

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United Nations Human Rights:

Violence must stop

High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay told a special session of the Human Rights Council, which meets on 9 January to discuss “the grave violations of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory including the recent aggression in the occupied Gaza Strip”, that the violence must stop.

“The situation is intolerable. The ceasefire called for by the UN Security Council must be implemented immediately. The violence must stop,” said the High Commissioner.

“The vicious cycle of provocation and retribution must be brought to an end,” she said, pointing out that the ongoing conflict has already caused the loss of hundreds of lives, and scores, including children, died or were wounded in these attacks.

The special session takes place following a request by Egypt, on behalf of the Arab Group and the African Group, Pakistan, on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, and Cuba, on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement.

“Cease-fire and the ultimate cessation of hostilities cannot wait a day longer,” said Martin Ihoeghian Uhomoibhi of Nigeria, President of the Human Rights Council, when he opened the special session.

“The thousands of innocent civilians, particularly children, women and the aged who are caught up in this unacceptable conflict need all the help that they can get to assuage their sufferings. Cease-fire and the ultimate cessation of hostilities cannot wait a day longer,” he said.

In her address to the special session, High Commissioner Navi Pillay stressed unequivocally that international human rights law must apply in all circumstances and at all times.

She strongly urged the parties to the conflict “to fulfil their obligations under international humanitarian law to collect, care for and evacuate the wounded and to protect and respect health workers, hospitals, and medical units and ambulances.”

“Accountability must be ensured for violations of international law,” said the High Commissioner, who suggested that the Council should consider authorizing a mission to assess violations committed by both sides in the conflict in order to establish the relevant facts and ensure accountability.

“I remind this Council that violations of international humanitarian law may constitute war crime for which individual criminal responsibility may be invoked,” she said.

The High Commissioner also called on the parties to the conflict to allow the deployment of independent human rights monitors in both Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory to document any violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. She urged that Special Procedures mandate holders be granted unrestricted access to Gaza and the West Bank.
SOURCE: www.ohchr.org

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Schlagworte: High Commissioner, Navi Pillay, United Nations Human Rights