UNHRC passes resolution to halt all arms supplies to 'Israel'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies + Al Mayadeen
5 Apr 2024 13:29
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The UN Human Rights Council issues a strongly worded call for an immediate cessation of all arms sales to "Israel", citing grave concerns over potential genocide in the Gaza Strip.

The Iron Dome anti-missile system firing an interceptor missile on August 6, 2022 (AP)

The UN Human Rights Council urged a halt to all arms sales to "Israel", citing concerns of genocide in Gaza, where over 33,000 people have been killed.

The resolution, approved with 28 out of 47 member states of the council voting in favor, six against, and 13 abstentions, signifies the first instance of the United Nations' primary human rights body taking a stance on the deadliest Israeli aggression on Gaza.

Meirav Eilon Shahar, Israeli ambassador to the UN in Geneva, denounced the resolution as "a stain for the Human Rights Council and for the UN as a whole."

The strongly worded statement urged nations to "cease the sale, transfer, and diversion of arms, munitions, and other military equipment to Israel... to prevent further violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights."

It emphasized that in January, the International Court of Justice determined "that there is a plausible risk of genocide."

The resolution presented on Friday, initiated by Pakistan on behalf of all member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) except Albania, also demanded an "immediate ceasefire" and urged for urgent humanitarian access and aid.

'Wake up and stop the genocide'

Before the vote, Palestinian Ambassador Ibrahim Mohammad Khraishi addressed the council saying, "We need you all to wake up and stop this genocide, a genocide televised around the world."

Despite acknowledging the unbearable civilian death toll in Gaza, Washington, a key ally, voted against the resolution, along with Germany, Argentina, Bulgaria, Malawi, and Paraguay.

It is worth noting that US Ambassador Michele Taylor highlighted "Israel's" insufficient efforts to minimize civilian casualties. However, she claimed that Washington couldn't endorse the resolution due to its perceived flaws. The vote occurred after the UN Security Council in New York recently approved a ceasefire resolution, partly due to Washington abstaining from voting.

UNHRC resolution warns of Rafah invasion

The resolution from the rights council consistently referred to "Israel", calling on the entity to cease its occupation of Palestinian territories entirely and to promptly remove its blockade on the Gaza Strip, as well as any other types of collective punishment.

The revised version of the text, updated late, on Thursday, to eliminate various mentions of genocide, still conveyed deep apprehension regarding statements from Israeli officials that could be construed as incitement to genocide.

Furthermore, it called on nations to intervene to halt the ongoing forced displacement of Palestinians from both within and outside Gaza. Specifically, it cautioned against extensive military actions in Rafah city, situated in the southern region of the densely populated Gaza Strip, where more than one million civilians are seeking refuge, emphasizing the potential dire humanitarian outcomes.

The resolution additionally denounced the tactic of using starvation against civilians as a form of warfare in Gaza, where the United Nations has issued warnings of an imminent famine.

It emphasized the urgent need for credible, prompt, and thorough accountability for all breaches of international law in Gaza. The resolution urged UN investigators of war crimes, who were assigned to examine the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territories prior to October 7, to investigate all direct and indirect transfers or sales of arms, ammunition, components, and dual-use items to "Israel". Furthermore, it called for an analysis of the legal ramifications of such transfers.

Germany calls on NATO to oppose UN arms embargo on 'Israel': Exclusive

In a different yet related context, diplomatic sources informed Al Mayadeen, on Thursday, that German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock urged NATO allies to block a draft UN resolution calling for an immediate cessation of arms exports to "Israel".

According to the sources, Baerbock reportedly told her counterparts during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers at its headquarters in Brussels to pressure their governments into voting against the arms embargo resolution, which was submitted to the Human Rights Council on Wednesday.

Pakistan proposed the draft resolution on behalf of 55 of the 56 UN member nations in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), except Albania. Bolivia, Cuba, and the Palestinian Mission in Geneva have all co-sponsored the document.

Germany's move comes after information indicated that several European countries, including France, Belgium, and Spain, are planning to vote in favor of the resolution, while others may abstain from voting, which could potentially lead to the resolution being adopted by a comfortable majority.

It is worth noting that the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute's (SIPRI) annual study issued in March revealed that sixty-nine percent of "Israel's" arms acquisitions in 2023 came from US corporations, 30% came from Germany, and 0.9% from Italy.