The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has called on countries around the world to take action over Israel’s “blatant disregard” for international law in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Volker Türk said in a speech he delivered on Monday during the opening of the 57th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva that ending the war that has been going on for nearly a year in the Gaza Strip is a priority.
“States must not and cannot accept blatant disregard for international law, including binding Security Council resolutions and International Court of Justice orders, in this situation or any other,” he added.
In his speech, Turk referred to an opinion issued by the United Nations’ International Court of Justice in July in which it described Israel’s occupation as illegal and said the situation must be “remedied comprehensively.” Israel rejected the court’s opinion.