NEW YORK – World Jewish Congress CEO and Executive Vice President Robert Singer on Friday blasted the United Nations Human Rights Council for its adoption of five anti-Israel resolutions, four of which fell under Item 7 targeting Israel, the only country-specific permanent item on the Council’s agenda, and one under Item 2.
The four resolutions under Item 7 dealt with accusations of Israeli abuses in the Golan Heights (26 in favor, 16 against, and 5 abstentions), and the Palestinian territories (39 in favor, 3 against, and 5 abstentions), settlement construction (32 in favor, 5 against, 10 abstentions), and the right for Palestinian self-determination (41 in favor, 3 against, and 2 abstentions). The fifth resolution, on Israeli accountability for the violence on the Gaza border, was debated under Item 2 and passed with 23 in favor, 8 against, and 15 abstentions, gathering the support of less than half of the Council members.
“The United Nations Human Rights Council has again shown its true colors, cynically exploiting its mandate of promoting human rights worldwide by focusing obsessively on Israel, while missing the opportunity to address and contend with the ongoing abuses carried out by Hamas and the Palestinian Authority against their own people,” Singer said.
“Each of these resolutions derail any chance for meaningful and effective debate and underscore the fact that the Council has indeed become a theater of the absurd,” Singer added. “The resolutions on Palestinian human rights unbelievably never even once mention Hamas, the violence it incites against its own citizens, or its repeated use of civilians as human shields. The resolution on Golan is just as disconnected, going so far as to accuse Israel of obstructing the ‘fundamental rights’ of non-Jewish citizens in that area, while conveniently and completely ignoring that these citizens enjoy full protection under Israeli law and even voluntarily and proudly serve in the Israel Defense Forces.”
“These resolutions, and the very existence of the anti-Israel Item 7 as the only country-specific item on the Council’s agenda, fully disregard the realities and complexities on the ground, imposing wild double standards on the State of Israel, to the detriment and disservice of all,” Singer said. “This one-sided approach directly harms the prospects for a negotiated two-state solution as the only long-term answer to Palestinian suffering and undermines the UNHRC’s credibility as a body dedicated to defending human rights around the world and minimizes its chances of having a positive influence towards achieving peace in the region.
“The World Jewish Congress, under the leadership of President Ronald S. Lauder, reiterates its deep appreciation to those member states who did not support these resolutions, standing up for principle and morality. We urge all the democracies at the Council to adopt a similar stance, whenever and wherever such egregious allegations against Israel are raised. This is not just for the benefit of the State of Israel, but for human rights, truth and justice as a whole,” Singer said.
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