UN rights council to hold special meeting on Gaza

Geneva, Jan 7 (Prensa Latina) The UN Human Rights Council (HRC) will hold a special session Friday to discuss the worsening situation in Gaza, officials said.

Cuba's envoy to the Geneva-based organisation, Juan Antonio Fernandez, said the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) nations as well as Islamic and developing states had requested for a UN meeting.

•   E-mail Article
•   Printer Friendly
•   Text-Size    

'Israel's military aggression against the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip is unacceptable and is a serious violation of international law,' NAM said in a statement after its meeting Tuesday.

Cuba, which holds the NAM presidency, Tuesday made a formal request to hold a special meeting of the UN to discuss the Gaza conflict that left more than 600 people dead and over 2,700 others wounded.

NAM members condemned Israel and demanded an immediate ceasefire. They also said Israel must comply with the 1949 international conventions on the protection of civilians.

The HRC is expected to approve a resolution Friday calling for an end to the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. Resolutions issued by the Council are not binding.