Israel and Saudi co-sponsor anti-Assad UN resolution

Israel, for the first time, has co-sponsored a resolution with Saudi Arabia at the UN. The draft resolution at the Human Rights Council, which was also supported by the US, France and Germany was submitted against the Assad regime, elicited condemnation from the Syrian representative.

The Saudis gave their backing for the resolution condemning violations of human rights by foreign forces in Syria, including Hezbollah and Iranian-backed groups fighting together with the army of Bashar Al-Assad.

The Saudi ambassador began the discussion on the resolution by accusing the Assad regime of the murder of innocent people, condemning “the grave deterioration in the state of human rights in Syria, including indiscriminate killing and intentional attacks against civilians, which caused the death of over 400,000 people, including 17,000 children”.

Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon echoed the Saudi statement saying that “the Assad regime, with full support from Iran, has been slaughtering its people mercilessly and with incomprehensible cruelty for years. Israel, which for years has been providing humanitarian aid to Syrian civilians hurt by these atrocities, stands together with the international community against this murderous regime.”

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The resolution passed; with 108 countries voting in favour, 17 against and 58 abstaining.

During the session, the Syrian representative reportedly congratulated his Saudi counterpart after the names of the co-sponsors were read out saying that the Saudi sponsorship of resolution demonstration a secret alliance between Riyadh and Tel Aviv.