(Communicated by the Foreign Ministry Spokesman)
Israel rejects the one-sided and irrelevant resolution that was adopted by the UN Human Rights Council today (12 January 2009), without the support of the western and democratic member states. The Council, dominated by a majority consisting of Moslem states and Non-Aligned countries, adopted the resolution condemning Israel for its military operation in Gaza. The resolution was adopted during a special session of the UNHRC, convened at the demand of the Islamic Conference countries. It was the fifth session convened to discuss condemnation of Israel, out of a total of nine thus far since the establishment of the Council.
Following extensive diplomatic activity by the Israel Foreign Ministry, the Israel Diplomatic Mission to the United Nations in Geneva, and embassies of Israel around the world, as well as activity vis-a-vis the foreign embassies in Israel, the western and democratic member states refused to support the resolution.
Canada voted against the resolution. Thirteen other states, among them all the member states of the European Union in the UNHRC - France, Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Italy, Slovakia, Slovenia - as well as Japan, the Republic of Korea, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ukraine, Switzerland, and Cameroon abstained. The Ambassador of Germany, speaking on behalf of the European Union and other countries, explained before the vote that the resolution was totally one-sided and therefore cannot be supported.
The resolution contains elements that are completely unacceptable to Israel. It ignores the terrorism against Israel and the responsibility of Hamas for the developments. It ignores the fact that Israel's civilians have been targeted for many years on a daily basis by rockets and mortars launched by Hamas and other terrorist organizations from the Gaza Strip. Moreover, it ignores the blatant exploitation, in violation of international law, of the civilian population as human shields by the terrorist organizations. The resolution does nothing to advance the peace process and the genuine interests of both Israel and the Palestinian people.
This one-sided tendentious resolution is but another in the 18 adopted so far, both in regular and special sessions, condemning Israel. This politicized almost sole fixation on Israel has become a deplorable characteristic of the UNHRC. It is thereby exposed once again as an organization that is being exploited by countries that are very far from the ideal of safeguarding human rights, so that the attention of the Council is diverted from the many human rights abuses in most parts of the world. The peoples of those regions are thus criminally abandoned and abused by certain member states of the Human Rights Council and their allies.
The former Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Anan, speaking before the UN Security Council in December 2006, noted:
"Some may feel satisfaction at repeatedly passing General Assembly resolutions or holding conferences that condemn Israel's behavior. But one should also ask whether such steps bring any tangible relief or benefit to the Palestinians. There have been decades of resolutions. There has been a proliferation of special committees, sessions, etc. Has any of this had an effect on Israel's policies, other than to strengthen the belief in Israel, and among many of its supporters, that this great Organization is too one-sided to be allowed a significant role in the Middle East peace process?"
Therefore, it is no wonder that the western and democratic countries - who have not yet given up all hope that the UN Human Rights Council will finally fulfill its true mission on behalf of human rights - refused to add their voice of support to the resolution and refused to give it any moral legitimacy.