UNITED

NATIONS

A

General Assembly

Distr.

LIMITED

A/HRC/S-2/L.1

9 August 2006

Original: ENGLISH

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

Second special session

11 August 2006

Afghanistan*, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Egypt*, Guinea*, Indonesia, Iran

(Islamic Republic of)*, Jordan, Kuwait*, Kyrgyzstan*, Lebanon*, Libyan Arab

Jamahiriya*, Malaysia, Morocco, Pakistan, Palestine*, Qatar*, Saudi Arabia,

Sudan*, Syrian Arab Republic* and Tunisia: draft resolution

The grave situation of human rights in Lebanon caused

by Israeli military operations

The Human Rights Council,

Reaffirming the purposes and principles contained in the Charter of the United Nations,

Reaffirming also the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Vienna Declaration

and Programme of Action, and recalling the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,

the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the

Rights of the Child and other human rights instruments,

Acknowledging that peace and security, development and human rights are the pillars of

the United Nations system,

* Non-member States of the Human Rights Council.

GE.06-13302 (E) 100806

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Recalling General Assembly resolution 60/251 of 15 March 2006 in which the Assembly

decided that the Human Rights Council:

(a) Should address situations of violations of human rights, including gross and

systematic violations, and make recommendations thereon; and

(b) Shall respond promptly to human rights emergencies,

Guided by the Charter of the United Nations, relevant human rights instruments and

international humanitarian law, in particular the Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907 on the

Laws and Customs of War on Land which prohibit attacks and bombardment of civilian

populations and objects and lay down obligations for general protection against dangers arising

from military operations against civilian objects, hospitals, relief materials and means of

transportation,

Recalling the commitments of the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions

of 12 August 1949 and the Additional Protocols thereto,

Reaffirming that each High Contracting Party to the Geneva Convention relative to the

Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (Fourth Geneva Convention) is under obligation

to take action against persons alleged to have committed or to have ordered the commission of

grave breaches of the Convention, and recalling the Convention on the Non-Applicability of

Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity,

Emphasizing that human rights law and international humanitarian law are

complementary and mutually reinforcing,

Stressing that the right to life constitutes the most fundamental of all human rights,

Condemning Israeli military operations in Lebanon, which constitute gross and

systematic human rights violations of Lebanese people,

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Appalled at the massive violations of the human rights of the people of Lebanon by Israel

resulting in the massacre of thousands of civilians, injuries, extensive damage to civilian

infrastructure, displacement of 1 million people, and outflows of refugees fleeing heavy shelling

and bombardment against the civilian population,

Strongly condemning the indiscriminate and massive Israeli air strikes, in particular on

the village of Qana on 30 July 2006, and the targeting of United Nations peacekeepers at the

United Nations observer post in southern Lebanon on 25 July 2006,

Taking note of the strong condemnation by the United Nations High Commissioner for

Human Rights of the killing of civilians in Qana, her call to take measures to protect civilian

lives and civilian objects and her reiteration of the need for independent investigation, with the

involvement of international experts,

Noting the extreme concern expressed by the Representative of the Secretary-General on

human rights of internally displaced persons, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary

or arbitrary executions, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the

highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, the Special Rapporteur on adequate

housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and the Special

Rapporteur on the right to food about the continuing adverse impact on the human rights and the

humanitarian situation of the civilian population in Lebanon,

Emphasizing that attacks and killings of innocent civilians and the destruction of houses,

property and infrastructure in Lebanon are a breach of the principles of the Charter of the

United Nations, international law and international humanitarian law as well as are flagrant

violations of human rights,

Recognizing the urgent need to address the dire humanitarian situation in Lebanon,

including through the immediate lifting of the blockade of Lebanon imposed by Israel,

Noting with concern the environmental degradation caused by Israeli strikes against

power plants and their adverse impact on health,

Concerned at the targeting of the communication and media networks in Lebanon,

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Outraged at the continuing senseless killings by Israel, with impunity, of children,

women, the elderly and other civilians in Lebanon,

1. Strongly condemns the grave Israeli violations of human rights and breaches of

international humanitarian law in Lebanon;

2. Condemns the massive bombardment of Lebanese civilian populations, especially

the massacres in Qana, Marwaheen, Al Duweir, Al Bayadah, Al Qaa, Chiyah, Ghazieh and other

towns of Lebanon, causing thousands of deaths and injuries, mostly among children and women,

and the displacement of 1 million civilians, according to a preliminary assessment, thus

exacerbating the magnitude of the human suffering of the Lebanese;

3. Also condemns the Israeli bombardment of vital civilian infrastructure resulting in

extensive destruction and heavy damage to public and private properties;

4. Calls on Israel to abide, immediately and scrupulously, by its obligations under

human rights law, in particular the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and international

humanitarian law;

5. Also calls on Israel to immediately stop military operations against civilian

population and civilian objects resulting in death and destruction and serious violations of

human rights;

6. Decides to dispatch urgently a high-level commission of inquiry comprising

relevant human rights special procedures mandate holders and experts of international

humanitarian law:

(a) To investigate the systematic targeting and killings of civilians by Israel in

Lebanon;

(b) To examine the types of weapons used by Israel and their conformity with the

international law;

(c) To assess the extent and deadly impact of Israeli attacks on human life, property,

critical infrastructure and the environment;

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7. Requests the Secretary-General and the United Nations High Commissioner for

Human Rights to provide all administrative, technical and logistical assistance required to enable

the Commission of Inquiry to fulfil its mandate promptly and efficiently;

8. Calls on the international community urgently to provide the Government of

Lebanon with humanitarian and financial assistance to enable it to deal with the worsening

humanitarian disaster, rehabilitation of victims, return of displaced persons and restoration of the

essential infrastructure;

9. Requests the Commission of Inquiry to report to the Council no later

than 1 September 2006 on progress made towards the fulfilment of its mandate.

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