The B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission (ADC), Australia’s leading organisation fighting hatred in all its forms, has applauded the call by U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres during the opening of the body’s new Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session that the UNHRC must advocate for human rights without bias and double standards. He also added that, human rights cannot be allowed, “to be instrumentalized as a political tool. And indeed the integrity and credibility of this Council will only be enhanced by proceeding in a manner that avoids unbalanced treatment of member states…Disregard for human rights is a disease, and it is a disease that is spreading. The Human Rights Council must be part of the cure.”
Dr Dvir Abramovich, Chairman of the ADC, issued the following statement:
“We welcome the recognition by the U.N. Secretary-General that the UNHRC has been plagued by bias and double standards for too long and has made a mockery of the noble values and goals of the UN charter. The ADC has long maintained that the UNHRC has had an obsessive and hypocritical focus on Israel, unfairly attacking the Jewish state with more critical resolutions than any other country and blatantly ignoring serial human rights violators. By doing so, it has empowered and emboldened the enemies of Israel, especially the BDS movement and their hateful attempts to delegitimize Israel. An ongoing concern about the UNHRC is the inclusion of Jean Ziegler on a high-level panel on “the contribution of human right as s to peace building through the enhancement of dialogue and international cooperation.” Ziegler has used inflammatory and reprehensible language, describing the Gaza Strip as “an immense concentration camp,” and labelling the terrorist groups Hezbollah as “a national resistance movement.” His presence as a Human Rights Council advisory committee member undermines the UNHRC’s mission and credibility and only reinforces the very little faith that we have in the impartiality of the commission as it relates to Israel. If the UNHRC wishes to be seen as a legitimate arm of the UN championing human rights, which includes the rights of Israelis, it needs to ensure that individuals such as Zielger do not form part of its committee.”
The B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission, founded in 1979, is Australia’s leading organization fighting racism through educational programs that combat bigotry, prejudice and all forms of hatred.
For further information please contact Dr Dvir Abramovich on 9272 5677.