UNHRC adopts resolutions against Israel

The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) adopted five resolutions against Israel on Friday, including four regarding violations of Palestinian rights and one regarding the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, AlKhaleejonline.com has reported. Commenting on the move, the Director of the UN Department in the Palestinian Authority Foreign Ministry, Omar Awad, told Anadolu, “The Council voted overwhelmingly on four resolutions in favour of us.”

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These related to the illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, the right of Palestinians to self-determination, the situation of the human rights in occupied Palestine and the guarantee to question all international law violations in the occupied Palestinian land. Awad noted that the resolution on settlements is based on international reports, which stress the illegality of the Israeli colonies in the occupied territories and call for an end to their expansion.

The PA official insisted that the resolutions are “Palestinian stock for the UN” and noted that the authority will work with international bodies and international community to gain Palestinians their rights.

The US and Togo voted against the resolutions whereas 47 countries voted in favour. The US actually boycotted the session looking at Israel, which started on Monday. Britain, meanwhile, accused the UNHRC of “anti-Israel bias” and warned it would vote against future resolutions criticising the Zionist state.

“Today we are putting the Human Rights Council on notice,” British Ambassador Julian Braithwaite told the UNHRC. “If things do not change, in the future we will adopt a policy of voting against all resolutions concerning Israel’s conduct in the Occupied Syrian and Palestinian Territories.”

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