Human Rights Council Concludes Fifty-Fourth Session

The Human Rights Council this afternoon concluded its fifty-fourth session. In general comments and in general concluding remarks, the Council heard from a number of delegations that spoke on national positions on adopted resolutions, as well as on the recent situation in Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Some speakers made an urgent call to the international organizations in Geneva to bring aid to the Gaza Strip and bring an end to the war. The international community should respect a solution to the Palestinian situation, and the devastating repercussions of current events. The current threat against Gaza and the rights of Palestinian civilians, the elderly, women and children, including the right to life, were of great concern. The attacks against Muslim places of faith were deplored.

Racist statements against the Palestinian people were condemned by some speakers, and the international community was urged to respect common values and ensure humanitarian aid could reach Gaza. Any attempt to remove the Palestinian people from their land would only exacerbate refugee flows. The whole situation undermined regional stability, as well as the credibility of the international community itself. The Palestinian people should enjoy the right to return, the right to self-determination, and an independent State with East Jerusalem as its capital. Immediate humanitarian assistance must be provided by all States with consciences, a speaker said.

A number of speakers said Israel had a right to defend itself from acts of hostility by eliminating terrorist groups such as Hamas - the only possible response to terrorism was a strong and just response. Terrorist actions by Hamas had no justification, no legitimacy, and must be universally condemned. Entire families continued to be held as hostages, a speaker said, emphasising that this was not a moment for any party to exploit these attacks to seek advantage. There should be equal measures of justice and freedom for Israelis and Palestinians alike. The conditions must be set, the speaker urged, for a peaceful and integrated Middle East. The acts of Hamas must be unequivocally condemned, said another speaker.

Some speakers said the loss of innocent life was heart-breaking, and the deliberate targeting of civilians demanded unequivocal international condemnation of Hamas. There must be equal justice and freedom for Israelis and Palestinians alike, and global solidarity against vile acts of terrorism and violence which only caused immense suffering and sought to instil fear among civilian populations.

The hostages must be released, urged one speaker, pointing out that the situation could lead to a grave humanitarian disaster. Hamas was a barbaric, genocidal, terrorist organization, a speaker said, saying that they were the same as ISIS, and calling for international solidarity for Israel. Hamas must be condemned, and all should stand with Israel in its right to defend itself in the war against terror.

One speaker said there was deep concern for the loss of all civilian lives in the conflict. There had been brazen violation of economic, social and cultural rights: the right to self-defence was no license for mass murder, a speaker said. Indiscriminate targeting of civilians and collective punishment constituted war crimes. Accountability for war crimes, crimes against humanity, crimes of aggression and genocide must follow: there should be an immediate cease-fire, return of all civilians, and access to justice. War crimes should be reported to the Council for consideration. Many speakers recognised the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for statehood.

International humanitarian law must be upheld without exception, a speaker urged: now more than ever it was vital for the international community to lend its support to efforts to finding a lasting peace. A solemn commitment to the objectives and purposes of the Council could aid in this regard, as it remained true to its mandate in protecting and promoting human rights everywhere, without discrimination. There must be an immediate cease-fire. The Human Rights Council did not exist in a vacuum: it must work to protect and promote human rights, another speaker said.

Several delegations commented on national positions on resolutions adopted during the session, and one speaker noted that human rights could serve to unify all, as shown in the adoption without a vote of many texts, a positive trajectory which could and should be built on in 2024.

Václav Bálek, President of the Human Rights Council, in his concluding remarks, said this had been the longest September session in history, beginning in the summer and finishing in the autumn. He expressed sincere gratitude to the members of the Bureau, the Council Secretariat, the Presidency’s Office, the Division for Conference Management, and Members and Observers of the Council, before closing the fifty-fourth session.

Speaking in general comments by observer States were Singapore, Indonesia, Nigeria, Iran, Russian Federation and Switzerland.

Speaking in general concluding remarks were Libya on behalf of the Arab Group, Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Libya on behalf of a group of countries, Iraq, Egypt, State of Palestine, Tunisia, United States, Dominican Republic, United Kingdom, Algeria, France, Hungary, Italy, Syrian Arab Republic, Iran, Sudan, Panama on behalf of a group of countries, Israel, Belgium, Germany, South Africa, China, Czechia and India.

Also speaking was International Service for Human Rights.

The fifty-fifth regular session of the Human Rights Council is scheduled to be held from 26 February to 6 April 2024.

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