UN rights body calls special Gaza session
(Updates with new sponsors of call for session, recasts)
GENEVA, Jan 7 (Reuters) - The United Nations Human Rights Council on Wednesday called a special session on Friday on the situation in the Gaza Strip at the request of Islamic and developing countries as well as Russia and China.
The formal request -- from 33 members of the 47-nation body -- says the session should discuss "the grave violations of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory including the recent aggression in the Occupied Gaza Strip."
Resolutions issued by the Council are not binding.
Many countries have expressed concern at the civilian deaths in Gaza where Israel has launched an offensive to end rocket attacks by Islamist militants. More than 640 Palestinians have been killed in the fighting, local medical officials said.
The meeting, expected to last only one day, will be the fifth aimed at condemning Israel out of the nine special sessions the Council has held in the 2-1/2 years since it was launched.
Over that period, the Council -- where a bloc of Islamic states backed by many African countries, Russia, China and Cuba holds an overwhelming majority -- has condemned Israel 20 times.
The only other countries to be strongly criticised have been Myanmar, four times, and North Korea, once. The Council has issued no condemnations of any countries in the majority bloc.
Argentina, Brazil and Chile, among developing countries on the Council that often take a more neutral position, were among signatories of the request for Friday's session. They were joined by Switzerland late on Wednesday.
European Union countries on the Council, Canada and South Korea did not immediately voice support for the request. The United States has only observer status and does not take part in the rights body's work. (Reporting by Robert Evans; Editing by Jonathan Lynn)
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