The UN Human Rights Council will hold an urgent debate in Geneva on Tuesday to discuss the recent Israeli military action against Qatar. The Israeli airstrike on September 9, which Hamas claims killed five of its members but not its leadership, has provoked strong reactions across the Arab world. This has further strained relations between the United Arab Emirates and Israel, which had normalized ties in 2020, as US-allied Gulf Arab states have closed ranks in condemnation.
The attack was widely criticized as a violation of Qatar’s sovereignty and international law. The urgent debate was formally requested by Pakistan on behalf of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states, and by Kuwait on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council. This meeting will be the 10th urgent debate held by the UN Human Rights Council since its establishment in 2006.
