Israel weighs UN rights council boycott
* 'This hypocritical organisation has
nothing to do with human rights'
* 'It is biased and we have no reason
to cooperate with it'
ISRAEL: Israel should boycott the United Nations Human Rights Council
after it voted to authorise a probe of Israeli settlements, Foreign
Minister Avigdor Lieberman told public radio on Sunday.
“This hypocritical organisation has nothing to do with human rights.
Its bias and lack of objectivity are obvious and we have no reason to
cooperate with it,” he told the radio station from Singapore, where he
is currently on a trip.
On Thursday, the Human Rights Council passed a resolution ordering
the first investigation into how Israeli settlements may be infringing
on the rights of the Palestinians.
The resolution was adopted by the 47-member council by 36 votes in
favour and 10 abstentions. Only the United States voted against it. The
decision was condemned by Israel, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
slamming the council as “hypocritical” and saying the body “should be
ashamed of itself.” “We will not be actors in this theatre of the
absurd, where 70 percent of the council's decisions are hostile to
Israel,” Lieberman added on Sunday.
“We are considering asking free countries like the United States to
withdraw from this organisation.” Lieberman's deputy, Danny Ayalon,
reiterated that position in his own comments to public radio. “We have
no reason to continue cooperating with a hypocritical organisation which
specialises in double-speak and has a mission to smear us,” he said.
Ayalon accused the council of getting involved in political issues
“which are not within its jurisdiction,” and said Israel should deny
members of the council's settlements probe access to Israel.
“We know in advance what their conclusions will be,” he added.
Israel is not a member of the Human Rights Council, but as a UN
member it has the right to observe discussions and can contribute under
certain conditions, though it cannot vote or present resolutions.
AFP |
