Rights Body Votes to Beef Up Monitoring of Palestinian Areas

GENEVA (AP) — The top U.N. human rights body has asked the U.N. human rights chief to strengthen her office's presence in Palestinian areas following an investigation that found Israeli soldiers may have committed war crimes in a deadly response to Gaza protests last year.

The Human Rights Council made the request in a resolution that passed 23-8 with 15 abstentions, a vote loaded with political implications that quickly drew accusations of bias from the Israeli government.

Five central and eastern European countries joined Australia, Fiji and Brazil opposing the measure. Britain and many EU countries abstained.

The resolution was among five considered focusing on Israel and "Occupied Palestinian Territory," the only "country situation" considered at every council meeting. A total of 29 resolutions were being considered in the four-week session ending Friday.

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