US issues scathing attack against UNHRC for singling out Israel
US takes particular issue with the council’s Agenda Item 7, which mandates that Israel be debated at every session of the forum.
By TOVAH LAZAROFFUnited Nations Human Rights Council 370(photo credit: Reuters)
The United States on Friday issued a scathing attack against the United Nations Human Rights Council for its continued biased treatment of Israel and charged that the council was harming the peace process.America was the sole country to vote against five anti-Israel resolutions with the UNHRC approved on Friday afternoon as it met in Geneva at the close of its 25th session.Four of the five resolutions attacked Israel’s treatment of Palestinians over the pre-1967 lines and were approved 46 to 1.The fifth resolution that dealt with Israel’s continued presence on the Golan Heights, and its treatment of the Syrian population that lives there, passed with the approval of 33 nations. There were 13 abstentions and one vote against it.Th US took particular issue with the council’s Agenda Item 7, which mandates that Israel must be debated at every UNHRC session. Israel is the only country with such a standing agenda item.“We are deeply troubled once again to be presented with a slate of one sided resolutions that undermine efforts to make progress in the negotiations,” said Paula Schriefer, who heads the US Delegation to the UNHRC.She noted in particular that the US remains “deeply troubled by the council’s stand alone agenda item directed against Israel and by the many repetitive and one sided resolutions under this agenda item.”“None of the world’s worst human rights violators, some of whom are the objects of resolutions at this session have their own stand alone agenda item at this council,” Schriefer said.“Only Israel, a vibrant and open democracy, received such treatment,” Schriefer said.“Especially disturbing is this council complacency with the repeated introduction of a resolution focusing on the Golan Heights,” said Schriefer.
“To consider such a resolution while the Syrian regime continues to slaughter its own citizens exemplified the absurdity of this agenda item and each of the other resolution on Agenda item 7,” Schriefer said.She explained that the US supported the Palestinian’s right to self determination but that it did not believe these resolutions helped advance a two state solution or the peaceful resolution of the conflict.Schriefer noted that the US provided financial and technical assistance to the Palestinian people and was the largest donor to UNRWA.The Foreign Ministry was not present at the council meeting due to its ongoing strike.
