GENEVA, 7 March 2008 — Muslim countries called on the top UN rights body yesterday to condemn Israel’s recent military strikes in Gaza. A proposal put forward by Pakistan labeled Israeli incursions into the Palestinian territory a “war crime.”

The draft resolution, supported by the Organization of the Islamic Conference, expressed its “shock at the Israeli bombardment of Palestinian homes ... and the ... collective punishment against the civilian population, which constitute a war crime.”

It also called for Palestinians to stop firing rockets into Israel.

Israel’s Ambassador Itzhak Levanon told the UN Human Rights Council at a debate on Gaza yesterday that the accusations leveled against his country were “exaggerations, distortions and inaccuracies.” He said members of the Palestinian faction Hamas, which controls the small coastal territory, were the ones who committed war crimes.

The Palestinian ambassador to the UN office in Geneva, Mohammad Abu-Koash, said the international community has failed to show a firm stance and halt the suffering of the population in the West Bank and Gaza.

The Palestinian people are “left to a merciless occupier that doesn’t even hesitate to use F-16 (fighter planes) to pound homes and bury whole families under the debris under the pretext of self-defense,” he told the council.

The 47-member human rights council could vote on the resolution today. Since it was created two years ago, the council has passed three resolutions explicitly condemning Israel and several more indirectly criticizing the Jewish state.

European countries said they were very concerned about the situation in Gaza, but asked for a more balanced resolution.

“This council should deplore the fact that innocent civilians on both sides are suffering,” said Slovenia’s Ambassador Andrej Logar, who was speaking on behalf of the European Union.

“We are deeply alarmed by the recent Israeli military operations,” he said, adding that Israel should show “utmost restraint.”

He also said, “We condemn the indiscriminate rocket attacks on Israel’s civilian areas. Palestinian factions in Gaza must stop these attacks.” Western countries, which hold seven seats on the council, are heavily outnumbered by African and Asian countries, with a total of 27 seats.

US Ambassador Warren W. Tichenor said tensions in the region should not be exacerbated by unhelpful rhetoric.