Kerry slams UN rights council’s ‘obsession’ with singling out Israel

US secretary of state vows to stand with J’lem against delegitimization.

By TOVAH LAZAROFF
Secretary Kerry at the UN Human Rights Council
The Palestinian Authority criticized US Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday for defending Israel at the UN Human Rights Council.
On Monday, Kerry accused the council of being obsessed with allegations of Israeli abuses and said the US would defend Israel against efforts to isolate it.
Kerry’s remarks came during a speech to the council in Geneva.
In response, the PA Foreign Ministry called on Kerry to stop dealing with Israel as if it were a state “above the law.”
The ministry said Kerry’s remarks contradicted the principles and mission of the Human Rights Council.
It also accused Kerry of ignoring international condemnations of Israel and “daily Israeli transgressions against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, West Bank and Jerusalem.”
Israeli transgressions and crimes include “settlements, the Judaization of Jerusalem, assassinations, releasing dogs against residents and children, the burning of [east Jerusalem teenager] Muhammad [Abu] Khdeir, and the crimes in the Gaza Strip,” the ministry said.
The PLO’s Central Council is scheduled to hold a meeting in Ramallah on Wednesday to discuss the future of relations between the PA and Israel, Palestinian sources said.
The 124-member council consists of Palestinians from the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and several countries. Hamas and Islamic Jihad are not participating in the discussions.
The sources said the PLO representatives would discuss the possibility of suspending or cutting security, economic and political ties with Israel.

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They added that the two-day meeting would focus on Israel’s recent measures against the Palestinians, including its withholding tax revenues and cutting off electricity to some West Bank cities due to the Palestinians’ debts to the Israel Electricity Corporation.
Some PLO officials said they would push for “harsh” decisions in response to the Israeli measures.
On the eve of the meeting, Kerry phoned PA President Mahmoud Abbas and urged him to refrain from taking “harsh” decisions before the Israeli election.