UN EXPERTS who concluded that Israel had committed acts of genocide in the Gaza Strip received wide support at the UN, Tuesday (26/3). Many countries support the report.
Francesca Albanese, special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, told the UN Human Rights Council that countries should impose arms embargoes and sanctions on Israel.
Expanding directly on his report released on Monday, Albanese said Israel characterized the entire population of Gaza as “targetable, capable of being killed and destroyed”, and had openly expressed “genocidal intentions” to “liberate Palestine from the Palestinians”.
Dozens of diplomats, mostly representing Arab and Muslim countries as well as Latin America, took to the field to defend his mandate and work.
Pakistan, representing the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), supported his call to implement sanctions and an arms embargo.
“We applaud your courage in documenting… acts that constitute genocide in Gaza,” Islamabad’s representative said.
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“The insidious and ruthless drive of the occupying forces to achieve a final solution to the Palestinian problem is clear for all to see, as the occupying forces surround Rafah like vultures and their rapacious land grabbing continues in the West Bank.”
Egypt, representing the Arab group of countries, reiterated its support for Albanese’s mandate and said it was deeply concerned by Israel’s “structured and systematic attacks that are making the Gaza Strip uninhabitable”.
Qatar, on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council, thanked Albanese for his report and demanded that the international community “end the genocide perpetrated by the Israeli war machine”.
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Elimination
In his speech, Albanese told the UN human rights body that Israel had “destroyed Gaza”.
“When genocidal intent is so blatant, so flagrant, as is happening in Gaza, we cannot avert our gaze: we must confront genocide, we must prevent it, and we must punish it,” he said.
“The genocide in Gaza is the most extreme stage of a settler-colonial process that has long wiped out the indigenous Palestinian population.”
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Special rapporteurs are independent experts appointed by the Human Rights Council, although they do not speak on behalf of the UN.
In response, Russia said it was “horrified” by Israeli military operations that targeted “civilian infrastructure”. Meanwhile, China said it was ready to facilitate peace negotiations.
The European Union called for a “proper and independent investigation into all allegations” and although shocked by the large number of civilian casualties, it recognized Israel’s right to defend itself.
Also read: UN Rapporteur Calls for Arms Embargo on Israel, Stops Gaza Genocide
One-sided narrative
Albania’s speech ended with applause in the room. Israel was not present, nor was its main ally, the United States.
Israel has long been harshly critical of Albanese, and on Monday outright rejected his report as “an obscene reversal of reality”.
The United States called its mandate “biased once morest Israel.”
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At the human rights council, the only strong support for the position came from non-governmental organizations.
The World Jewish Congress said Albanese’s mandate “seeks to reinforce divisions and one-sided narratives rather than implementing a balanced and inclusive approach”.
The European Union for Jewish Students said Albanese’s “resignation is essential” so that the council can maintain credibility on issues relating to Israel and the Palestinian territories.
Gaza’s bloodiest-ever war was sparked by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, which resulted in regarding 1,160 deaths in Israel, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures.
Israel’s retaliatory campaign once morest Hamas has killed at least 32,400 people in Gaza, most of them women and children, according to the region’s health ministry. (AFP/Z-3)
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