E.U. Members Finally Boycott Anti-Israel U.N. Agenda Item, Muslim States Protest

Agenda Item 7 of the UNHRC, entitled, “The Human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories,” which is controversial as it singles out Israel for human rights abuses, while ignoring similar abuses carried out as standard across much of the Middle East, has been boycotted by E.U. members of the U.N.

As a result of the decision not to be present for the agenda item, a number of Muslim states condemned the E.U. speaking of their disappointment and “Israeli behavior.” The representative for Pakistan said at the UNHRC that his country expressed “deep disappointment that certain member states of the Western European and Others Group had ceased their participation under agenda item 7, which [is] particularly disturbing in the light of the latest Israeli behavior.”

The United Arab Emirates, speaking for the Arab Group, also chimed in, expressing “extreme discontent about the European Union’s decision to boycott this agenda item.” Those sentiments were echoed by Iran which said it was also, “deeply disappointed by the decision of certain states to cease their participation in this agenda item.”

Saudi Arabia even went one step further by suggesting that the decision by E.U. members not to attend the agenda item was “proof of double standards concerning Israel,” declaring that “Item 7 [is] a fundamental agenda item of the Council which would stand until Israeli occupation and impunity ended.”

Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of the U.N. Watch observer organization, who attended the session, explained as follows.

“Today is an important day for justice at the United Nations… Today we meet under Agenda Item 7, which singles out one nation, Israel, for differential and discriminatory treatment. Let us recall that in 1968, a similar form of discrimination took place in Tehran, at a UN conference celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. René Cassin, author of that Declaration, was present at that event. When he saw that one nation was being singled out, he left early in protest. Non-participation speaks loudest. Sometimes, it is the only remedy that can deny the legitimacy of a bigotry which cannot otherwise be challenged or overcome.”

Following those comments, Neuer went on to express satisfaction with the fact that the European Union, the United States, Canada, Australia, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, and many other liberal democracies did not take the floor in the debate.

“The free and democratic world, echoing the appeal of René Cassin, has spoken for justice,” he said.