ECOSOC singles out Israel as the only country violating women’s rights, passes resolution; Second resolution claims PA, Gaza humanitarian crisis a result of “occupation”; Neuer: When you have Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen among the UN council members accusing Israel of violating women’s rights, you are in the theater of the absurd.
Two anti-Israel resolutions were passed by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) this week, one claiming Israel is the only country in the world that violates woman’s rights, the other claiming the Palestinians’ hardships and humanitarian crises are a result of the “occupation” of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, not the governing bodies of the Palestinian Authority and Hamas. Countries like Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Pakistan, all known for human and women’s rights abuses, are part of the 54-member council.
One resolution, voted in favor by 40 with 2 against (Canada, United States) and 9 abstentions, claims Israel is “continuing [its] systematic violation of the human rights,” and that “the occupying power” is an “obstacle for Palestinian women and girls with regard to the fulfillment of their rights, and their advancement, self-reliance, and integration in the development of their society.” It called to “ensure accountability for all violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law in order to end impunity, ensure justice, deter further violations, protect civilians and promote peace…”
The second, entitled “Economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan,” was also voted against by Canada and the United States. The Palestinians took the opportunity to blame Israel for its economic and humanitarian crises, claiming the “dire economic and social conditions of the Palestinian people are man-made and due to the occupation.”
Hillel Neuer, the Executive Director of UN Watch, condemned the resolutions and called out the absurdity of such allegations. He stated, “The UN reached new heights of absurdity by singling out Israel alone on women’s rights, yet saying nothing on Iran holding women’s rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh behind bars, Saudi Arabia jailing and torturing women’s rights activists, and subjugating women under harsh male guardianship laws, or on Yemen denying women hospital treatment without the permission of a male relative.” He then pointed out the countries accusing Israel, stating “When you have Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen among the UN council members accusing Israel of violating women’s rights, you are in the theater of the absurd.”
