Geneva, Switzerland. The UN rights chief urged Washington to conclude and publish findings from its investigation into a fatal strike on a primary school in Iran, as countries voiced outrage at an emergency UN Human Rights Council debate.
Emergency debate on school strike
The Geneva council held an emergency debate requested by Iran on the attack on the Shajareh Tayyebeh School, which Tehran said killed more than 175 children and teachers on the first day of a nearly month-long regional war that began with joint US-Israeli strikes.
Reuters reported on March 5 that US military investigators believed it was likely US forces were responsible, but that they had not reached a final conclusion or completed their investigation. The Pentagon has since elevated the probe, and Israel has said it was also investigating the incident.
Turk calls for swift conclusion and publication
UN Human Rights chief Volker Turk said Washington should conclude its probe as soon as possible and publish the results.
“There must be justice for the terrible harm done,” Turk said by video link after meetings with US officials in Washington this week.
Responses from Israel, US, and Iran
Asked for comment, Israel’s diplomatic mission to the UN in Geneva criticised Iran for attacks on civilians across the region. “The fact that the embodiment of human rights violations is convening this urgent debate is a charade and an abuse of the UN Human Rights Council,” a spokesperson said.
The US mission referred questions about the incident and the status of investigations to the State Department, which did not immediately respond to a comment request.
The seats for the United States and Israel were empty at the council, as both have disengaged from the body, alleging an anti-Israel bias.
“This atrocity cannot be justified, cannot be concealed, and must not be met with silence and indifference,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told the council by video link.
Reactions from Pakistan and China
Pakistan’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Bilal Ahmad, said the death of school children was unconscionable, while China’s ambassador, Jia Guide, said he was deeply shocked.
What steps do you think the UN Human Rights Council should take in response to this incident?