The 63rd session of the UN Human Rights Council began at the UN Office at Geneva. Commissioner Türk spoke at the opening of the session, chaired by Ambassador Sidharto Reza Suryodipuro, Indonesia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Office at Geneva.
Assessment of Gaza and the West Bank
Türk said Israel had continued to carry out daily attacks in Gaza despite the ceasefire, killing more than 1,300 Palestinians. Saying that the entry of humanitarian aid had been restricted, Türk expressed concern over proposals to forcibly remove Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and statements by some Israeli officials.
Arguing that Israel was continuing the annexation of the West Bank despite the ruling of the International Court of Justice, Türk called on countries to prevent the occupation from becoming permanent in the territory designated for Palestinians under a two-state solution.
Türk said transfers to Israel of weapons that risk being used in violations of international law must be halted. Calling on companies to end business practices that support illegal settlements, Türk said international efforts must be increased to achieve sustainable peace in which the Palestinian and Israeli peoples live side by side with equal dignity and rights.
US-Iran tensions and wars
Türk said there were more than 60 wars in the world involving at least one state, describing this as the highest number since the Second World War. He said violent conflicts, polarization, the climate crisis and rapid technological change were making people feel powerless.
Türk said he was concerned about the resumption of attacks between the United States and Iran affecting the Gulf region, adding that reports of incidents in which civilians had been killed or injured, including an attack on a wedding in Hormozgan Province, were alarming. Saying that the geopolitical and economic consequences of the crisis could be prevented, Türk called for an immediate return to negotiations.
Türk also addressed the Russia-Ukraine war, saying it had entered its fifth year. He said civilian casualties had increased due to Russian attacks and that attacks on energy infrastructure had intensified, adding that there had also been reports of deaths and injuries in Russia.
Türk said he was horrified by reports that fully autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles, said to have been launched by Russia last month, had killed three Ukrainians. Saying that Ukraine had also reportedly tested such weapons in the field, Türk expressed support for calls to ban weapons that take lives without human intervention.
Conflicts in Sudan and Lebanon
Türk said the war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan had expanded in its fourth year, adding that both sides continued to attack markets, hospitals, petrol stations and other civilian infrastructure.
Türk called on the Human Rights Council to focus on the deteriorating situation in Kurdufan, Blue Nile, and North and West Darfur, where civilians faced immediate risks. He said Sudan needed an immediate ceasefire, an end to foreign intervention and a return to inclusive civilian rule.
Calling on Israeli forces to end attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Lebanon, Türk said the UN Human Rights Office was investigating violations allegedly committed by both Israel and Hezbollah since March 2.
Climate and human rights agenda
Türk said he was deeply concerned about the situation in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, particularly in detention facilities. Saying that negotiations had reached an impasse and ceasefires were being ignored, Türk said many people in different parts of the world were living in conditions that were neither war nor peace.
Drawing attention to the hidden costs of fossil fuels for health, the economy and the environment, Türk said these costs amounted to approximately $6.7 trillion a year, equivalent to about 6 percent of global gross domestic product.
Türk said heatwaves in Europe were estimated to have caused 35,000 deaths this summer, adding that the actual losses could be higher. Emphasizing that global warming must be limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius in line with the Paris Agreement, Türk called for excessive warming to be kept as small and short-lived as possible.
The 63rd session of the UN Human Rights Council, which will continue until October 7, will address the human rights situation in conflict zones.
