STATEMENT AT UPRinfo's PRE-SESSION
Delivered by Mr. Yoel Mester, Minister-Deputy Permanent Representative of Israel at the UN
I would like to thank all present for the interest you take in Israel's UPR. We too share the view that UPR, if implemented properly, can be an extremely useful instrument in working with member states to address domestic human rights issues.
Clearly, also in our case there are areas that need to be improved, including [,yes] some related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The fact that Israel is compelled to defend its people against terror does raise challenges, as is the case with other democracies fighting terror. We are committed to working on all human rights issues. This is precisely why we come to the UPR with the hope of having a constructive exchange. Yet we are not naïve, and we realize that some countries may choose to steer the discussion in a more politicized direction, which would certainly be a pity. But this doesn't change the importance we assign to this process, which stems from our own commitment to democracy and human rights: we are not doing it for the sake of UPR, but for our own sake.
This commitment is what guided us in the preparation process for our third review. And so, in this past year the Government of Israel embarked on an inclusive national consultation process, bringing together officials and members of CSOs, as well as Academia. A total of six round tables were organized, hosted in academic institutions spread throughout the country to encourage diversity. These meetings offered a unique platform for free discourse on six core human rights topics, including
- LGBTI rights
- Israelis of Ethiopian descent
- The local Bedouin population
- Women's rights
- Rights of persons with disabilities
- [and finally] Social and economic rights in the periphery
Many of the issues raised in these discussions found their way into our national report, and I am confident you will find this document helpful in putting together your recommendations.
Finally, [and without downplaying the importance of today's event], I invite you not to limit the scope of your recommendations only to the purely political, but also tackle the many thematic issues that UPR is there to address. Most of all I encourage you to come to Israel's UPR with an open mind, a constructive approach and a genuine willingness to make this a successful UPR, namely one that can bring about real change, not just political arguments which belong elsewhere.
Thank you very much.