WJC @ UNHRC: The discriminatory nature of Item 7 - World Jewish Congress

WJC @ UNHRC: The discriminatory nature of Item 7

Represenative delivering the statement: Jonathan Braun

Thank you, Madam President.

I am delivering this statement on behalf of the European Union of Jewish Students, the World Jewish Congress, and the International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists.

Madam President, it seems incumbent to point out that despite the many egregious abuses of human rights taking place on a daily basis all over the world, this council continues to target a single country exclusively under the infamous Item 7: not focusing on a particular topic, nor on a conflict, but on the Jewish state alone.

During the COVID19-Pandemic, Israel supported the Palestinian Authority with testing kits, healthcare materials and training for their medical personnel. We regret, however, that such positive collaborations have not been noted in the report.

Despite the fact that Israel has provided such extensive support, terror attacks – which have gone largely unmentioned in the report – have continued unabated, resulting in injuries and even in death.

The lack of any recommendations regarding these violations in the report, only further proves the discriminatory nature of the report, this mandate and this item.

We therefore urge the council to consider a change of course, as the Human Rights Council’s obsessive focus on Israel undermines its credibility and legitimacy as a body dedicated to defending human rights around the world in an equal and impartial manner. It is high time to abolish the one-sided and biased mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Palestine. And it is high time to abolish agenda item 7. 

Thank you. 
 

To read more about WJC's activities at the 44th session of the United Nations Human Right's Council, click here

More videos

All Videos