GENEVA — The top UN human rights body voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to condemn Israel for its killing of Sheik Ahmed Yassin, the spiritual leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

By a 31-2 vote, the UN Human Rights Commission backed a resolution put forward by the Organization of the Islamic Conference -- which groups Muslim countries -- and by Cuba and Zimbabwe.

Besides African and Middle East countries, those voting in favour included China, Russia, India, Argentina, Brazil and Chile.

The United States and Australia were the two countries that voted against, while 18 countries, mostly from Europe, abstained.

The remaining two members of the 53-country commission -- Gabon and Sierra Leone -- did not vote.

Canada is not currently a member of the commission and had no vote.

Israel killed Yassin in a pre-dawn missile attack Monday as he left a Gaza City mosque. Seven other people died in the strike and 17 were wounded.

The resolution described Israel's action as a violation of the Geneva Convention on warfare.

Israeli Ambassador Yaakov Levy slammed the decision, noting that Israel regularly is singled out during the commission's annual six-week session. He said countries eager to divert attention from their own human rights records regularly engaged in the "Israel-bashing.''

Supporters of the resolution said their countries regularly condemn "terrorist atrocities'' and had "every right'' to pass judgment on the Yassin assassination.

The commission has held two special sittings on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since the latest Palestinian uprising against the decades-old Israeli occupation erupted in 2000.

Levy accused the human rights watchdog of having "clearly reached its nadir by lending a hand and moral standing for supporting the most despicable and horrendous of evils, that of terrorism, while denying Israel the right of self-defence against that evil.''

"The operation against Yassin was not an act of vengeance,'' Levy said. "It was part of an ongoing effort to confront terrorism and its sources.''

Hamas has claimed responsibility for many of the suicide bombings which have killed hundreds of Israelis over the last 3½ years.

The commission also issued a general condemnation of Israel's policy of targeted killings of Palestinians. Israel has killed more than 140 suspected militants in targeted attacks, but the strikes also have killed scores of bystanders and family members of militants.

"The Israeli government claims the right to sit in judgment and execute innocent people,'' said Palestinian delegate Nabil Ramlawi. "Israel cannot continue to be a fertile land for the flouting of human rights rules on the pretext of defending its interests.''

Yassin's killing touched off protests across the Middle East and criticism from many western governments, including Canada.

European countries have repeatedly condemned "terrorist atrocities'' by Hamas and other groups, said Irish Ambassador Mary Whelan.

"Israel is entitled under international law to protect its citizens but not to carry out assassinations,'' said Whelan, speaking on behalf of the 15-nation European Union and 20 other European countries.

Pakistani Ambassador Shaukat Umer, who introduced the resolution, said the commission was entitled to scrutinize Israel.

"As long of these horrors continue, the people of Palestine have every right to knock on the doors of this commission and ask for justice and human rights,'' he said.

Israel faces no penalties following the vote. Censure by the UN body simply draws attention to a country's human rights record.