<p>GENEVA — The U.N.’s top human rights body said Thursday it will hold a special session next week to address “the grave human rights situation” in Palestinian areas of Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem. </p>
<p>The Human Rights Council will convene the May 27 meeting following a request presented by Pakistan, as coordinator of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation. </p>
<p>The session at the 47-member-state body in Geneva paves the way for a daylong debate over the recent deadly violence between Israelis and Palestinians in the Mideast conflict that has raged for decades. </p>
<p>More than 60 states — including member states and observers — have so far expressed support for the special session, council spokesman Rolando Gomez said.</p>
<p>Twenty member states agreed to hold the special session, clearing the requirement that at least one-third of them agree to hold the session, he said.</p>
<p>The special session is the 30th at the council, and the ninth on the issue of the “Occupied Palestinian Territories” alone — the last was in May 2018. The council’s most recent special session, on Myanmar, was held in February. </p>
<p>The United States, under President Donald Trump, quit the council in mid-2018 — partially over his administration’s allegations that the council has an anti-Israel bias. President Joe Biden has returned the U.S. to participation at the council, and the U.S. plans to seek a seat next year. </p>
