10 August 2006
The newly-established Human Rights Council of the United Nations (UN) is expected to discuss a resolution later this week condemning Israel for its actions in Lebanon. The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) has called for the meeting, with China, Russia and South Africa also supporting the request. Last month, the council voted to criticize Israel’s actions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The UN General Assembly created the council in March to replace the old Human Rights Commission, which included several nations with poor human rights records and which focused disproportionately on Israel. However, the new council seems to continue in the mould of the previous commission and already held a special session on Israel in July, when it voted 29 to 11 to condemn Israel's military operations in the Gaza Strip. Israel's ambassador to the UN rejected the July resolution and accused the Human Rights Council of bias against the Jewish state.
