Ms. Ponomareva-Piquier recalled that the Human Rights Council had yesterday adopted a resolution on “human rights violations emanating from Israeli military attacks and incursions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, particularly the recent ones in the occupied Gaza Strip”. In this resolution, adopted by 33 votes in favour, one against and 13 absentions, the Council called for the immediate cessation of all Israeli military attacks throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territories and of firing of crude rockets that had resulted in the loss of two civilian lives and some injuries in southern Israel. The Council also called for urgent international action to put an immediate end to the grave violations committed by the occupying Power, Israel, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Ms. Ponomareva-Piquier reminded journalists that the discussion of agenda item 7, devoted to the human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories, initially scheduled to take place on 17 and 18 March, had been moved up to yesterday at the request of the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the African Group in light of recent events in the region. The calendar of work of the session had been revised as a result and, to put it briefly, everything had been moved up by one day. The new calendar was available in the Press Room.
