Israel's opposition to UNHRC investigations and complementary concessions

Israel has, predictably, voiced opposition to the proposed United Nations Human Rights Council’s investigation into the atrocities committed in Gaza. Quoting Channel 2, the Times of Israel stated that 14 of the 22 ministers “believe Israel should not cooperate with the fact-finding mission, which is led by academic William Schabas.”

Of notable mention are the reactions by Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Israel’s State Comptroller Yosef Shapira which, in turn, provide insight into the dynamics of international complicity and impunity with regards Israel that flourish through the UN.

Lieberman advocated for “threats” to the lives of top Hamas leaders – a reference to targeted assassinations that have become common rhetoric and practice among Israeli leaders. In addition, the foreign minister opposed cooperation with the UNHRC’s investigation. “This committee, appointed by the Human Rights Council, is a symphony of hypocrisy. Israel mustn’t cooperate with this committee. We have to deal with it, but not cooperate and give legitimacy to Israel-haters.”

Shapira, on the other hand, proposed “an investigation into the military and political leadership’s handling of Operation Protective Edge,” a stroke of apparent necessity following “claims” of Israel’s international law violations as well as the lack of monitoring by the settler-colonial state of IDF violations. The proposal is reminiscent of several internal investigations allegedly carried out following IDF atrocities and the wilful killing of Palestinians, which dwindle into obscurity following the initial propaganda.

According to Israel’s foreign ministry: “The prime minister and the foreign minister announced that the Human Rights Council long ago because the Terrorists Rights Council and a ‘kangaroo court’.” Predetermined findings, according to the foreign ministry, are the only possible outcome of an investigation. Undoubtedly, Israel’s refusal to cooperate will not be penalised, while the UN will be drafting further concessions that enable both the settler-colonial state and the imperialist organisation to emerge as equal victors in the international power struggle, thus invalidating or mitigating any of the commission’s findings.

In keeping with the constant victimised stance, laments of prejudice remain at the fore in Israel’s rhetoric. Hence the emphasis on a press conference to foreign journalists last week in which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged “imagination” to project images of alleged terror threats perpetrated by Hamas.

The issue at stake is the compromised platform of the UN with regards to Israel, which exhibits yet another cycle of endorsed oppression juxtaposed by subsequent international attempts at apparent reparation. Other than illusory indignation, it is difficult to envisage actual concern on behalf of Israel. “Protective Edge” was endorsed by the UN through its incessant efforts that condemned the “terror” of Hamas rockets while ignoring the massacre, absolute destruction of buildings and craters as a result of Israel’s bombing of Gaza, collectively termed “Israel’s right to defend itself”.

With regards to “defence”, Israel is constantly given even more opportunities to extend the fictitious conjecture. This is particularly evident with regards to accessing international bodies that have perfected the spectacle of recurring oppression through repeated assertions and implementations of intervention, by now a strategy that has repeatedly violated the region under various pretexts. So far, it is pertinent to state that the investigation will probably serve to highlight Israel’s atrocities while safeguarding the settler-colonial state, its allies and the UN from necessary repercussions, due to the convenient lack of regulations that hold the imperialist organisation to account.