The United Nations’ Human Rights Council adopted a resolution condemning Israel for what the body claimed were “violations of international law and disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force by Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians.” 29 members of the Human Rights council voted in favor – among them ‘Belgium, Spain and South Africa – while 14 abstained, including Germany, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, and only two voted against, including Australia and the United States. The U.S. Charge D’affaires to the multinational council asserted Washington’s concern “over the recent outbreak of violence along the Gaza fence,” but accused the session as blatantly taking sides by ignoring the real culprit for the recent outbreak of violence – which the American diplomat attributed to Hamas.
“The United States remains concerned over the recent outbreak of violence along the Gaza fence but today’s session is blatantly taking sides and today’s session ignores the real culprit for the recent outbreak of violence: the terrorist organization Hamas. Hamas even admitted its involvement in the violence when a Hamas official proudly announced that 50 of the 62 killed were members of Hamas,” U.S. Charge D’affaires to UNHCR Theodore Allegra said.
The American Charge D’affaires further took the opportunity to reiterate Washington’s commitment to advancing a lasting and comprehensive peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, yet emphasized that the international communities continued anti-Israeli bias pushes peace away and clearly indicates that “the Human Rights council is indeed a broken body.” “The United States is committed to advancing a lasting and comprehensive peace between Israel and the Palestinians. We want nothing more than a peace that offers a brighter future to both Israel and Palestinians. The continued anti-Israeli bias of this council does nothing to promote that future and the one-sided action proposed by the council today only further shows that the Human Rights Council is indeed a broken body,” Allegra said.