(updates with adoption of resolution)

By Stephanie Nebehay

GENEVA, March 6 (Reuters) - The U.N.'s top human rights body condemned Israeli attacks on Gaza on Thursday in a motion proposed by Muslim states.

European Union states, Japan and Korea abstained after a compromise on the draft removed a reference to war crimes, instead describing Israeli policy as violating international humanitarian law.

Pakistan, speaking on behalf of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, presented a draft resolution which Israel's envoy dismissed as "political posturing".

The 47-member Human Rights Council adopted the resolution by 33 votes to one objection, from Canada, and 13 abstentions.

The text, which was also sponsored by the League of Arab States, demanded an immediate halt to Israeli military attacks on the Gaza Strip as well as the firing of crude rockets into southern Israel.

It condemned persistent Israeli military attacks on Gaza and accused Israel of "inflicting collective punishment against the civilian population, which is contrary to international humanitarian law".

Since being set up in June 2006, the Council had previously rebuked Israel three times for alleged abuses in the Palestinian territories. Muslim and African countries, with the frequent backing of Russia, China and Cuba, have an effective majority on the Council.

Israeli forces withdrew from northern Gaza on Monday but sporadic fighting has persisted. The Jewish state has defended its offensive as a necessary response to rocket attacks on innocent civilians.

"The right of self-defence is not an exclusive Israeli right. It is a Palestinian right too," Palestinian ambassador Mohammad Abu-Koash said.

'RIGHT OF SELF-DEFENCE'

On Thursday, a bomb planted by Palestinian militants killed an Israeli soldier on the Gaza frontier and an Israeli air strike killed a gunman in the Hamas-controlled territory.

Pakistan's ambassador Masood Khan told the U.N. Human Rights Council: "Israel has resorted to use of disproportionate force, deliberate destruction of infrastructure and killing of civilians."

He said more than 1,000 Palestinians had been killed in less than one year, including 125 in the last week when Israel conducted a sweep against Palestinian rocket crews.

Israel's envoy Itzhak Levanon, recalling previous "one-sided resolutions", accused Muslim countries of abusing the forum.

Israel's ally the United States, which has observer status, said Palestinians must stop firing rockets "as terrorist attacks that intentionally target civilians can never be justified".

"The Human Rights Council's unbalanced and excessive focus on Israel does not advance the cause of peace," U.S. ambassador Warren Tichenor said, noting peace negotiations were to resume soon.

The European Union, which has seven member countries on the Council, said rocket attacks on Israeli areas had to cease. It urged Israel to "exercise the utmost restraint" in self-defence. (Additional reporting by Jonathan Lynn; Editing by Robert Woodward)

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