UN Human Rights Council demands embargo on all arms sales to Israel

The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council has adopted a resolution demanding a halt to all arms sales to Israel, underscoring warnings of “genocide” in its war campaign in Gaza, which has killed in excess of than 33,000 people. It also called for Israel to be held accountable for possible war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip, claims which Israel has dismissed as a “distorted text.”

The Council, which meets several times a year, is the only intergovernmental body designed to protect human rights worldwide. It can increase scrutiny of countries' human rights records and authorise investigations.

The resolution - which passed with 28 of the council’s 47 member states voting in favour, 13 abstained and 6 opposed, including the United States and Germany - marked the first time the United Nations human rights governing body has taken a stance on the bloodiest-ever war to beset Palestine.

The adoption came after last week’s resolution from the UN Security Council in New York, calling for a ceasefire for the month of Ramadan.

The strongly-worded resolution stressed the need for 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.”

The text highlighted the January ruling from the International Court of Justice, a UN organ, which stated “that there is a plausible risk of genocide” in Gaza.

Meirav Eilon Shahar, Israel’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, condemned the adoption, calling it “a stain for the Human Rights Council and for the UN as a whole.”

Shahar continued: "A vote 'Yes' is a vote for Hamas."

The resolution was brought forward by Pakistan on behalf of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, excluding Albania, and also demanded “an immediate ceasefire” and “for immediate emergency humanitarian access and assistance” in the Gaza strip.

Before the vote, Palestinian ambassador Ibrahim Mohammad Khraishi stated: “We need you all to wake up and stop this genocide, a genocide televised around the world.”

Key Israeli ally, the United States, voted no, as did Germany, Argentina, Bulgaria, Malawi and Paraguay.

US ambassador Michele Taylor discussed the resolution, agreeing that “far too many civilians have been killed in this conflict and that every civilian death is a tragedy…Israel has not done enough to mitigate civilian harm.”

But she said that the United States could not accept the the text, citing “many problematic elements,” including its “failure” to condemn Hamas and its 7 October attacks.

While it did not name Hamas, it criticised the firing of rockets at areas comprising Israel civilians and demanded “the immediate release of all remaining hostages.”

The resolution repeatedly named Israel, ordering the end of its occupation of Palestine and to “immediately lift its blockade on the Gaza Strip and all other forms of collective punishment.”