The World Jewish Congress today called on the United Nations to drop its “anti-Israel bias”.
The advocacy group urged the UN Human Rights Council to stop singling out Israel for criticism and reform its approach to the Middle East conflict.
In a statement delivered before the council in Geneva, Andrea Tobia Zevi, a member of the WJC diplomatic corps, said: “Since its establishment, this council has approved a record-breaking number of resolutions condemning Israel – more than 45 resolutions.
“We all know which situations go ignored as a cost of this obsession.”
Mr Zevi added: “This council should act to foster dialogue, co-operation and mutual understanding. It should advance the cause of human rights.
“Alas, we all know that the council’s agenda, activities and atmospherics surrounding the Palestinian-Israeli conflict do little to promote the goals of peace.”
Robert Singer, the chief executive of WJC, later added: “As Israelis and Palestinians are engaged in serious peace negotiations, we call on the United Nations Human Rights Council to ensure that its role is productive, even-handed, and designed to genuinely protect the human rights of all people living in the Middle East, no matter under which government or authority.
“The council needs to reform its approach to the conflict, which is profoundly misguided, unproductive, and out of touch with reality. We are pleased that the European Union did not participate in today’s debate singling out Israel. This is a helpful step toward re-balancing the council.”
