The United Nations Human Rights’ Council convened in the Swiss city of Geneva, where officials called for an end of Israel’s occupation of, what they referred to as, “Palestinian territories,” claiming it would benefit both Israelis and Palestinians following 50 years of enmity. The World Body’s High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, declared that the Palestinian people were marking “a half century of deep suffering under occupation imposed by military force,” while also the Israelis deserve freedom as they have long endured “unlawful attacks worthy of condemnation.”
“The Palestinians deserve freedom, as all peoples do. They deserve to bring up their children safe in their homes on their land, exercising their rights on their state, free from this long and bitter occupation. The Israelis also deserve freedom, a different sort of freedom for they have long had their state, but they too have suffered grievously. The Israeli people have long endured unlawful attacks against their own civilian population, attacks which are often vicious and clear violation of international humanitarian law, and also worthy of condemnation. Israelis too need to be free from this violence, from any existential threat posed to them. The sine qua non for peace, the end of the occupation, must now be brought about, and soon. Maintain the occupation, and for both peoples, there will only be a prolongation of immense pain, the endless flow of ‘aazaz’ and ‘shivas’ – the weeping by loved ones for loved ones, the prayers, the curses, the hatreds and vengeance, the impossibility of a secure life for all. This can be ended,” said al-Hussein.
In response to the comments by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley demanded that the Commission conducts an immediate reform to re-establish its credibility, considering its ongoing “bias against Israel”. Haley pointed to the fact that during the month of March alone, the UN Human Rights Council adopted five resolutions against the Jewish state, yet it has never even considered a resolution on Venezuela, where the American top diplomat said, the situation is rapidly deteriorating with serious human rights violations.
“Being a member of this council is a privilege and no country who is a human rights violator should be allowed a seat at the table. Finally, it’s hard to accept that this council has never considered a resolution on Venezuela and yet it adopted five biased resolutions, in March, against a single country, Israel. It is essential that this council address its chronic anti-Israel bias if it is to have any credibility,” said Haley.