Netanyahu: UNHRC anti-Israeli resolutions are 'absurd'
PM condemns UN body's 'march of hypocrisy' in targeting Israel while 'the slaughter in Syria is continuing, innocent people are being hung in the Middle East and human rights are being eroded.'
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the UN Human Rights Council on Sunday after the international body passed five resolutions against Israel over the weekend, calling the resolutions "absurd" and accusing the UNHRC of hypocrisy.
The UNHRC passed four of the five resolutions, which focused on Israel's treatment of Palestinians, with 46 states in favor and only the United States voting against.
The US representative to the UNHRC, Paula Shcriefer, condemned controversial Agenda Item 7, which required a discussion of Israel at every gathering, saying that such resolutions are not only biased "but they work against our collective efforts to advance a peaceful resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict."
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She called on the council's members to "avoid actions that hinder" such an outcome, in a short speech in which she argued that "council continually singles out Israel for criticism without acknowledging the violent attacks directed against its people."
She noted that “none of the world’s worst human rights violators, some of whom are the objects of resolutions at this session have their own stand alone agenda item at this council,” and emphasized that “only Israel, a vibrant and open democracy, received such treatment."
The fifth resolution under Agenda Item 7, which passed with the support of 33 members, condemned Israeli treatment of the Syrian population on the Golan Heights.
Schriefer ridiculed the resolution: "To consider such a resolution while the Syrian regime continues to slaughter its own citizens exemplifies the absurdity of this agenda item."
Netanyahu, too, was angered by the fifth resolution, censuring the UN body for condemning Israel "at a time when the slaughter in Syria is continuing, innocent people are being hung in the Middle East and human rights are being eroded."
"In many countries free media are being shut down and the UN Human Rights Council decides to condemn Israel for closing off a balcony," the prime minister continued.
"This is absurd. This march of hypocrisy is continuing and we will continue to condemn it and expose it," he concluded.
