Israel’s alleged violation of the rights of Palestinians in the territories it occupied in 1967 was the first item on the agenda of the United Nations Human Rights Commission, which began its annual six-week session here Monday.
The first speaker was the representative of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Nabil Ramlawi, who accused Israel of trying to exterminate the Palestinians in its handling of disturbances in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The list of speakers includes all of the Arab states. The Israeli delegate will respond Thursday, after which the 43-nation commission will vote on a resolution.
The Israeli ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Pinchas Eliav, is not appearing at the session. He sent his deputy instead, explaining that it was his gesture of contempt for the meeting. which some here call the “annual hate-Israel festival.”
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