UN to probe violations of Palestinian rights by Israeli settlements
The resolution was adopted with 36 votes in favour and 10 abstentions. Only the United States voted against it.
Presenting the resolution, a Pakistani envoy criticised Israel for insisting on building more settlements in the occupied territories, saying that they are "in violation of international humanitarian and human rights laws."
"This resolution seeks to respond to the humanitarian and human rights challenges this illegal Israeli practice has created in the occupied territories," he said.
Beyond ordering an investigation into the implications of settlements, the resolution also calls on Israel to "take and implement serious measures" such as confiscating arms to prevent acts of violence by Israeli settlers.
But the United States spoke up against the move, saying it was "deeply troubled by this Council's bias against Israel."
"Steps like this do nothing to promote a just and lasting peace," said a US envoy, adding that they only serve to "push parties apart."
Israel's move to expand settlements has been criticised by the international community, which deems the action illegal.
Earlier this week, UN rights chief Navi Pillay said the expansion of Israeli settlements is deeply linked to problems including violence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
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The settlements promote a ghettoisation of the West Bank. High metal fences surround the settlements and Israeli soldiers patrol the gate denying Palestinians entry. There are many reports of violence across the West Bank and attacks by extremist Jewish settlers on Palestinians resulting in either injury or damage to property. Yet the settlers dismiss these reports and believe they have a religious right to the land.
@Henry Tobias, if the Zionists hadn't invaded a land unknown to their people for 1897 years, forced the expulsion of 800,000 refugees and refused their return in order to set up a racist, apartheid state, none of this would have happened.
The world would be far better off without Israel.
US needs to stop being a blind supporter of Israel but unfortunately Israeli lobby rules the law makers. US tax payers are cheated in Billions aiding this apartheid system.
The UNHRC is probably the most backward of the UN agencies in the sense that, dominated by dictators and sycophantic Western leftists, it tries to undertake the opposite of its stated mission.
According to the agreement hammered out between the Caliph and the Allies in the Treaty of Sevres and its successor, the League of Nations' British Mandate, Arabs and Jews in the former Ottoman lands were to respect the civil and property rights of minorities in the lands that came nder their respective political rule. This the Israelis have largely fulfilled (Israel is over 20% Arab, Jews settled in purchased or state lands) but the Arabs, who started expelling Jews in their lands almost immediately, did not.
That the UNHRC only wants to investigate the midget and forget about the monster in the room speaks volumes of its priorities as well as the cowardice of its members.
a Pakistani envoy criticised Israel for being “in violation of international humanitarian and human rights laws.”
Oh the irony, how can any Pakistani pass moral judgement of Israel, lecture them on human rights?
How can any Muslim for that matter.
The Arabs tried to erase the 1949 ceasefire lines, not peace treaty lines, by starting a war with Israel in 1967. The lines were never permanent, because the Arabs didn't want peace then, and still do not want peace. Their aggression failed. They lost the war. They are trying to get back the very lines they themselves, sought to erase. They should pay for that aggression. They are crying over spilt milk. If they hadn't gone to war in 1967, the 'occupation' would never have taken place.
How can they be so stupid. it is mind-boggling.
Does anyone here expect a fair result in favor of Palestinians?