Human rights situation in the OPT – Human Rights Council 3rd session – Report to the GA (excerpts)

REPORT TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON THE THIRD SESSION

OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL*

Vice-President and Rapporteur:  Mr. Musa Burayzat (Jordan)

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*  The format of the present report is based on the agenda and “Draft framework for a programme of work of the Human Rights Council for the first year” for the third session as adopted by the Council in its decisions 1/105 of 30 June 2006 and 2/103 of 6 October 2006.  It should therefore not serve as a precedent for future sessions of the Council.

I. Resolutions and decisions adopted by the Council at its third session

A.  Resolutions

3/1. Human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory: follow-up to Human Rights Council resolution S-1/1

The Human Rights Council,

Recalling its resolution S-1/1 of 6 July 2006,

Noting with regret that the resolution has not been implemented to date,

1. Calls for the speedy implementation of its resolution S-1/1, including the dispatching of the urgent fact-finding mission;

2. Requests the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 to report to the Council on the implementation of the present resolution at its next session.

13th meeting

8 December 2006

[Resolution adopted by a recorded vote of 34 to 1, with 12 abstentions.  See chap. III.]

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II. Adoption of the agenda and organization of the work of the session

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2.  Follow-up to other decisions of the Human Rights Council

41. At the 5th meeting, on 1 December 2006, the President updated the Council on the follow-up to:

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(c) Resolution S-3/1:  “Human rights violations emanating from Israeli military incursions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including the recent one in northern Gaza and the assault on Beit Hanoun”.

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F.  Consideration and action on draft proposals

Human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory:  follow-up to Human Rights Council resolution S-1/1

46. At the 13th meeting, on 8 December 2006, the representative of Pakistan (on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference) introduced draft resolution A/HRC/2/L.13, sponsored by Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cuba, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Djibouti, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Malaysia, Morocco, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.  Belarus, Guinea, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Mauritania, Senegal and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) subsequently joined the sponsors.

47. A statement in connection with the draft resolution was made by the representative of Algeria (on behalf of the Group of African States).

48. Statements in connection with the draft resolution were made by the observers for Israel and Palestine as concerned countries, or parties.

49. At the request of the representative of Canada, a recorded vote was taken on the draft resolution, which was adopted by 34 votes to 1, with 12 abstentions.  The voting was as follows:

In favour: Algeria, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Cuba, Djibouti, Ecuador, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Uruguay, Zambia.

Against: Canada.

Abstaining: Cameroon, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

50. Statements in explanation of vote after the vote were made by the representatives of Canada and Finland (on behalf of States members of the European Union that are members of the Council, and acceding country, Romania).

51. For the text of the draft resolution as adopted, see chapter I, section A, resolution 3/1.

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