The United Nations is being urged to end the open-ended mandate of its Commission of Inquiry into alleged human rights abuses in Israel.
US ambassador to the UN Michele Taylor told the Human Rights Council on Tuesday that the group of countries were "deeply concerned" about the COI, with its "open-ended mandate with no sunset clause" or closing date.
Taylor spoke after COI chair Navi Pillay read out a summary of the commission’s third investigatory report since it was created two years ago, which focused on the 'Israeli silencing of Palestinian civil society.'
Pillay, a former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said: “Our examination revealed that the majority of violations are being committed by Israeli authorities as part of the Israeli Government’s goal of consolidating its permanent occupation at the expense of the rights of the Palestinian people.
“This includes criminalising Palestinian civil society organisations and their members by labelling them as ‘terrorists’ and threatening institutions that give a platform for civil society discourse.”
Navi Pillay, who chairs the commission (Photo: Getty)
The COI, which is the highest-level investigation that can be ordered by the Human Rights Council, was set up in May 2021 following a weeks-long flare up in violence between Hamas and Israel.
The COI is investigating "all alleged violations of international humanitarian law and all alleged violations and abuses of international human rights law" in Israel and the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.
It is charged with looking into "all underlying root causes of recurrent tensions, instability and protraction of conflict, including systematic discrimination and repression based on national, ethnic, racial or religious identity".
Taylor reiterated her "deep concern over the remarks by one of the Commissioners, echoing disturbing antisemitic tropes and questioning Israel's right to UN membership.”
She added: “We unequivocally condemn antisemitism and anti-Israel bias and call on all [UN} members to do the same.”
In objecting to the COI, the US UN representative said “no one is above scrutiny and it is this Council’s responsibility to promote and protect human rights the world over.”
She added: “We continue to believe that this long-standing disproportionate scrutiny should end and that the Council should address all human rights concerns, regardless of country, in an even-handed manner.
“Regrettably, we are concerned that the Commission of Inquiry will further contribute to the polarisation of a situation about which so many of us are concerned."
She stressed: "We believe the nature of this COI is further demonstration of long-standing, disproportionate attention given to Israel in the Council, and must stop."
The US statement was supported by 26 countries including the UK, Canada and Poland.
