- The UN Independent Commission of Inquiry has said Israel may have committed crimes against humanity in last year’s unrest in Gaza(Palestine).It found that Israel soldiers targeted children, health workers and journalists.
- Israel rejected the report outrightly and said that no institution can deny Israel’s right to self-defence and its duty to defend its residents and borders from violent attack.
- The commission was set up by the UN Human Rights Council(UNHRC). UNHRC is a United Nations body whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world.
- UNHRC is an inter-governmental body headquartered at Geneva,Switzerland.It is made up of 47 members states.Members are elected by the United Nations General Assembly(UNGA)with 3-year terms,with a maximum of 2 consecutive terms.India was recently elected as a member of UNHRC.
- UNHRC meets 3 times a year to examine human rights violations worldwide.Its resolutions are not legally binding but carry moral authority.
- The United States has withdrawn from the United Nations Human Rights Council after it questioned legitimacy of the council because of presence of several dictatorial regimes violating human rights on it.
