The United States, on behalf of 27 countries, criticized the open-ended nature of the UN investigation into alleged human rights violations in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The US ambassador expressed concern about the
Commission of Inquiry (
COI) and its "disproportionate" attention on Israel.
The countries demanded an end to the "long-standing disproportionate attention given to Israel in the council." The
COI is investigating "all alleged violations of international humanitarian law and all alleged violations and abuses of international human rights law" in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.
Israel is refusing to cooperate with the investigation.
The first-ever open-ended
COI is being conducted by UN rights chief Navi Pillay of South Africa, along with India’s Miloon Kothari and Chris Sidoti of Australia.
Israel slammed the findings of the report, saying the country had a “robust and independent civil society...
that can operate freely.” Palestinian ambassador Ibrahim Khraishi condemned the US-led joint statement, calling it “disgraceful.” Venezuela, speaking on behalf of several countries, gave its full support to the commission’s mandate.