GENEVA, July 5: A UN human rights envoy accused Israel on Wednesday of violating the ‘most fundamental norms’ of international human rights law with its siege of the Gaza Strip.

Israel’s military action, launched after an Israeli soldier was kidnapped by Palestinian militants, was a ‘disproportionate use of force against civilians’, said John Dugard, UN special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory.

“It is clear that Israel is in violation of the most fundamental norms of humanitarian law and human rights law,” Mr Dugard said in an address to a special session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

At the insistence of Arab and other Muslim states, the newly formed council is holding a special session to debate their call for the UN’s top human rights forum to censure Israel and demand a halt to its military assault in Gaza.

A draft resolution, brought by the 57-country Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), accuses Israel of arbitrarily arresting Palestinian leaders and of destroying bridges and water and power plants.

It also requests that UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour be sent on an urgent visit to the region and report back on the Israeli human rights violations.

A simple majority would be required for adoption by the 47-member state forum in Geneva. Diplomats expect the vote, which may come on Thursday, to be close.

In a speech prepared for delivery to the special session, Israel’s ambassador Itzhak Levanon rejected the allegations and said the OIC’s sole aim was to ‘vilify’ his country.—Reuters