The UN Human Rights Council has roundly condemned the State of Israel in resolutions tabled under the highly controversial agenda item 7, “Human Rights Situation in Palestine and Other Occupied Arab Territories.” Five resolutions have been tabled against Israel, amounting to the greatest number of condemnatory resolutions on a single country.
The first resolution, “Human Rights in the Occupied Syrian Golan,” was adopted by a wide majority, with 31 countries in favor, 1 against and 15 abstentions. The United States was the only member to vote against the resolution, the European Union jointly abstaining.
The Council voted nearly unanimously in favor of “Right of the Palestinian people to self-determination,” with 45 countries voting in favor and only the United States voting against the resolution. No countries chose to abstain.
On the resolution, “Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan,” 46 countries voted to condemn Israel, while the United States alone voted against the resolution. No countries chose to abstain.
On the resolution presented by Pakistan, “The grave human rights violations by Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem,” the Council voted 34 in favor, 9 against, 7 abstaining.
On the Goldstone resolution, “Follow-up to the report of the United Nations Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict,” the Council was not able to complete voting due to time restrictions and will resume tomorrow at 10am. The resolution reiterates the recommendations of the Goldstone report, and includes new recommendations to establish an Ad Hoc Committee to oversee implementation.
