A United Nations panel has urged Israel to repeal a new law forcing Palestinians who marry Israelis to live separate lives. The Geneva-based Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination unanimously approved a resolution saying the Israeli law violated an international human rights treaty. However the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, accused the panel of bias. On 31 July the Israeli parliament approved a law preventing Palestinians married to Israelis from gaining Israeli citizenship or residency. Arabs make up about 20 percent of Israel's population of 6 million. About 3 million Palestinians live in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.