Britain condemns Israel bias at UN rights council

GENEVA: Britain on Monday urged the UN Human Rights Council to reform its treatment of Israel, joining the United States in demanding an end to the body’s alleged bias against the Jewish State.

Addressing the opening of the 38th council session, British foreign secretary Boris Johnson criticised the council’s controversial Agenda Item 7, a permanent fixture on the schedule exclusively devoted to discussing rights abuses in the Palestinian Territories.

“We share the view that the dedicated Agenda Item 7 focused solely on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories is disproportionate and damaging to the cause of peace, and unless things change we shall vote next year against all resolutions introduced under Item 7,” Johnson said.

Israel is the only country with a dedicated council item. Washington, some European countries and Australia have sided with Israel in condemning Item 7 as prejudiced, noting that countries with arguably worse rights records in recent years, like Syria are spared such intense scrutiny.

While previous US administrations have criticised Item 7, President Donald Trump’s government has raised the prospect of withdrawing from the council unless it is scrapped.

Johnson noted however that the council had an important role to play in “the Israeli-Palestinian conflict under the right agenda item.” Each council session includes an agenda item on so-called country specific situations, known as Agenda Item 4, where debates on the crises in Syria, Burundi and others typically take place.