World Jewish Congress has criticised the United Nations Human Rights Council for adopting five anti-Israel resolutions.
Four dealt with accusations of Israeli abuses in the Golan Heights, Palestinian territories, settlement construction and the right for Palestinian self-determination.
A fifth on Israeli accountability for violence on the Gaza border.
WJC CEO Robert Singer said the Council had demonstrated its “true colours” in cynically focusing obsessively on Israel, while missing an opportunity to address ongoing abuses carried out by Hamas and the Palestinian Authority against its own people.
And each resolution derailed any chance for meaningful and effective debate.
“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,” he explained. “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.”
He added, “These resolutions disregard the realities and complexities on the ground, imposing wild double standards on the State of Israel, to the detriment and disservice of all.
“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.”
WJC thanked member states who did not support the resolutions.
Singer, meantime, applauded Denmark and Austria for joining the United Kingdom in announcing plans to vote against some of the resolutions debated.
“These resolutions fail to expose the accountability of the Palestinian leadership for the deterioration of human rights in the territories under their control, ignore the terrorism and oppression of Hamas towards Gaza civilians, and instead scapegoat Israel applying a severe and absurd double standard,” he explained.
Singer added, “We hope this will be the beginning of a changing tide within the UNHRC and it will resume its true mandate of defending human rights around the world without double standards or pathology.”
By Natalie Ash
