UN rights expert calls for emergency session on Gaza News
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UN rights expert calls for emergency session on Gaza

Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, called Tuesday for an arms embargo and sanctions against Israel, advocating for an emergency session in the UN General Assembly (UNGA).

Albanese claimed, “The tiny bodies of children in Gaza, hollowed out by induced starvation, are testimony of the worst humanity is capable of.” According to the independent human rights expert, a “protection presence made of friendly soldiers” must be deployed in the Gaza Strip.

The special rapporteur also urged the UNGA to act under the “Uniting for Peace” resolution. Resolution 377a (V) was adopted on November 3, 1950. This allows the UNGA to convene an emergency special session within 24 hours. This session enables the General Assembly to:

[make] appropriate recommendations to Members for collective measures, including in the case of a breach of the peace or act of aggression the use of armed force when necessary, to maintain or restore international peace and security.

This mechanism was initially adopted for cases when the Security Council fails to act as required to ensure international security and peace due to a lack of unanimity among its five permanent members.

The continued humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip deserves special attention from the international community. As the latest report of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) evidences, at least 420,000 individuals have been forcibly displaced since March. After nearly two months of a lack of humanitarian aid and supplies entering Gaza, the Palestinian population is suffering devastating impacts, as thousands have already been killed. Last month, a group of independent human rights experts, including Francesca Albanese, reported on the situation in Gaza, referring to it as a “massacre of Palestinians.”

The effects of Israeli actions have had repercussions on other human rights of Palestinians. Recently, UNRWA claimed that Israel’s ban on this agency’s activities has led to the closure of several schools, threatening the right to education of 800 Palestinian children.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) recently had hearings regarding the situation in Gaza. The Palestinian envoy accused Israel of targeting civilians and aid workers. At the ICJ, the US envoy claimed Israel has no legal obligation to allow aid in Gaza, a position which has been criticized by Francesca Albanese. This special rapporteur has voiced on several occasions the obligation of third states not to support the actions of the Israeli government. This has also been the case against EU officials for their alleged complicity in Israeli war crimes.

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