The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) recently issued a statement criticizing the Israeli government for its policy on security in the West Bank and the city of Jerusalem. However, the Israeli Ambassador to the UN Ron Gilbert has expressed his dismay at the UNHRC and its apparent lack of condemnation of Palestinian attacks.
In a scathing rebuke, the Israeli Ambassador accused the UNHRC of not caring enough about the people of Israel and its security needs. He noted that while the council was quick to criticize Israeli policy, such as the security barrier in the West Bank, it had remained largely silent on Palestinian incitement and even terrorist attacks against Israelis.
In particular, the Ambassador singled out the latest attack against two Jewish civilians in the West Bank who were shot dead by terrorists. He asked the UNHRC how many Jews had to be murdered before it would issue a condemnation.
The Ambassador further accused the UNHRC of institutional bias against Israelis, stating that no other nation in the world was subjected to such scrutiny as Israel was by the UNHRC. He also noted that the council focused more on Israeli acts of self-defense than on Palestinian incitement and violence, stating that such a focus was out of step with the true needs of the region.
In conclusion, the Israeli Ambassador asked the UNHRC to prove its commitment to peace in the region and to call out terrorists and the Palestinian Authority who continue to incite violence and carry out acts of terror against innocent lives. Until the UNHRC does that, he said, it will continue to be of little relevance in the broader peace process in the region.