In an urgent debate on Israel’s military aggression against Qatar on September 9, participating countries demanded accountability for the Zionist state’s repeated violations of international law and the sovereignty of countries in the region. They argued that failing to do so would threaten regional and global peace.
The debate was held by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) during its ongoing 60th regular session in Geneva on Tuesday, September 16.
The rare meeting was requested by the countries representing the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
The members of the OIC and the Arab League held their own emergency summit in Doha on Monday to discuss the Israeli aggression. The group issued a joint statement condemning the Israeli strikes and demanding its member countries to review their relationship with it.
Speaking during the UNHRC session, Volker Türk, the UN human rights chief, noted that Israel’s attacks on Qatar were a “shocking breach of international law” and an assault on regional peace and stability.
Noting Qatar’s role in the ongoing ceasefire negotiations in Gaza, Türk also called the Israeli attack a “blow to the integrity of mediation and negotiations processes around the world.”
Türk expressed hope that there would be accountability for all the unlawful killings committed by Israel.
Qatar termed the attacks “treacherous” and demanded the international community take practical steps to hold the aggressor, Israel, accountable and prevent its impunity.
Ali Bahreini, Iran’s permanent representative at Geneva, repeated his country’s condemnation of the Israeli aggression against Qatar. He also warned that if it is not held accountable for its repeated violations of international law, its aggression and expansionism will increase like a “cancerous tumor, threatening the security of the entire region.”
“Respect for sovereignty is a basic principle of international relations. Israel has ignored this repeatedly by launching operations against its neighbors,” China’s permanent representative at Geneva, Chen Xu, said in the meeting. He demanded that Israel cease its hostile acts and return to the negotiating table.
Urgent international action
At least six people, including five Hamas representatives and one Qatari security personnel were killed in the Israeli attack on a residential area in Doha on September 9. The Hamas representatives were involved in the ceasefire negotiations with Israel.
Speaking on behalf of the OIC, Pakistani ambassador to Geneva Bilal Ahmad called Israel’s “unjustified and unprovoked” aggression against Qatar “a dangerous escalation” and demanded the international community “force Israel to stop its dangerous and ongoing attacks in the region”, including in Gaza.
Iran claimed that Israel’s apartheid state “does not adhere to international law, does not understand the principles of civilized nations, and does not believe in negotiation, peace and stability.” It demanded collective international action to stop Israel from destroying global order and security.
The Maldivian representative noted how Israel has repeatedly, arrogantly, and with impunity, been violating international law in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iran and Qatar. She criticized the double standard that protects Israel from accountability for these crimes, claiming this double standard undermines the very foundation of international law and order.
The European Union (EU) issued a collective statement denouncing the Israeli attacks on Qatar. It called the attack a violation of Qatar’s territorial sovereignty and demanded that “there must be accountability for violations of international law.”
Participating in the debate, an Indian representative also condemned the Israeli attacks on Qatar, claiming that “such actions threaten peace, stability and security, not only in the region but across the world” and demanded the full implementation of the UN charter and international law.
Both Israel and the US have withdrawn themselves from the UNHRC and therefore were not present at the debate.
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