UN rights body votes for halt in arms sales to Israel

The UN Human Rights Council today voted in favour of a halt in all arms sales to Israel, highlighting warnings of genocide in its war on Gaza during which it has killed more than 33,000 Palestinians.

Twenty-eight countries voted in favour, 13 abstained and six opposed the resolution, including the United States and Germany. The adoption prompted several representatives to the Council to cheer and clap.

The text called on countries 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 stressed that the International Court of Justice ruled in January “that there is a plausible risk of genocide” in Gaza.

The resolution also calls for Israel to be held accountable for possible war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip, stressing “the need to ensure accountability for all violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law in order to end impunity.”

It also expressed “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.”

The resolution was brought forward by Pakistan on behalf of members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) except Albania.

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