Pakistan welcomes UNHRC resolution for probe on Israel's human rights violations
Pakistan on Friday welcomed the adoption of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation-led resolution by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in response to grave violations of international law and human rights by Israeli forces in Palestinian territories and within Israel.
On May 27, The UNHRC decided to create an open-ended international investigation into violations surrounding the latest bout of Israeli aggression against Gaza, and into "systematic" abuses by Israeli forces.
The resolution, which passed with 24 of the council's 47 members in favour, would spur an unprecedented level of scrutiny on abuses and their "root causes" in the decades-long Middle East conflict.
The text, which was presented by Pakistan on behalf of the OIC, was debated during a special one-day council session focused on the surge in deadly violence in Gaza this month.
Today, Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said in a statement that the HRC special session and its decision to establish a standing international commission of inquiry to investigate human rights violations represent a global resolve to end systemic impunity and injustice and begin a process of meaningful accountability.
Read more: UN body orders probe of 'systematic' abuses in Israel, Palestinian areas
"Pakistan stands in solidarity with the Palestinian people and shares the international community's expectation for effective implementation of this resolution to ensure respect for international law as well as for rights and dignity of the people of Palestine," the FO spokesperson added.
A day earlier, opening the session, UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet voiced particular concern about the "high level of civilian fatalities and injuries" from the attacks on Gaza, and warned the Israeli attacks on the enclave "may constitute war crimes".
She also said Hamas's "indiscriminate" firing of rockets at Israel was "a clear violation of international humanitarian law".