UN Human Rights Council on April 5 adopted a resolution calling for Israel to be held accountable for possible war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
- Thirteen countries, including India abstained during the voting on the resolution.
- The resolution on the human rights situation in occupied Palestinian territory, adopted by 28 votes in favour and six against, called for an arms embargo on Israel and said all countries should cease the sale and transfer of arms and military equipment to Israel.
- Georgia, Japan and the Netherlands were among the countries that abstained along with India when the resolution presented by Pakistan on behalf of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was put to the vote at the 47-member Human Rights Council.
- The US and Germany were among the countries that voted against it. Countries that abstained or voted against the resolution noted that it refrained from mentioning Hamas, whose brazen terror attacks on October 7 last year had triggered the conflict.
- The UN Human Rights Council is a semi-permanent body of the UN, under the auspices of the UN General Assembly, whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world.
- Unlike the UN Security Council, Human Rights Council resolutions are not legally binding on states.
- No country holds veto power at the Human Rights Council.
