JEDDAH, 13 August 2006 — The United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) has decided to immediately dispatch a commission to investigate the systematic targeting and killing of civilians by Israel in Lebanon.
The UNHRC’s Commission of Inquiry is requested to report to the world rights body no later than Sept. 1 on progress made toward the fulfillment of its mandate.
In response to the joint request by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and the Arab League to urgently consider the alarming human rights situation in Lebanon caused by the Israeli military operations, the second special session of the UNHRC convened and concluded its work on Friday by adopting a resolution proposed by the OIC. The council adopted the draft resolution by a large majority.
The permanent representative of Pakistan submitted the OIC draft resolution to the council on Wednesday.
The resolution strongly condemned the grave violation of human rights and breaches of international humanitarian law in Lebanon, the massive bombardment of Lebanese civilian population, especially the massacres in Qana and other towns in Lebanon, and the destruction of vital civilian infrastructure.
The council decided to “urgently” establish and “immediately dispatch” a high-level inquiry commission of experts of human rights law and international humanitarian law to investigate the systematic targeting and killing of civilians by Israel in Lebanon and to examine the conformity of the weapons used with the international law.
