UN High Commissioner of Human
Rights Navi Pillay's reference to Israel in her opening statement to the Human
Rights Council's 24th session serves as yet another example of the inherent
discrimination against Israel within the UN bodies, a situation acknowledged by
UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon in his visit to Israel last month.
While the citizens of Israel rush
to equip themselves with gas masks, it is perhaps somewhat symbolic that the
High Commissioner failed to make mention of the extreme threats the country and
its population faces – among others – from Syria, Iran, and Hezbollah.
Throughout the Middle East and
North Africa, hundreds of thousands of innocent people have been killed in
recent months, yet somehow Ms. Pillay has failed to call for an immediate
investigation into these grave atrocities. Somewhat inexplicably, these
investigations appear to be the kind of “special treat” the High Commissioner
reserves exclusively for the state of Israel.
The High Commissioner once
again decided it was urgent to dedicate a disproportionately large portion of
her speech to Israel, and in doing so managed to overlook some of the most
striking human rights atrocities being committed by other actors in the region.
Moreover, by failing to address these severe human rights violations, Ms.
Pillay has left unacknowledged thousands of civilian victims, leaving them
deserted on the sidelines, and out of the public spotlight. The position of
High Commissioner of Human Rights that she fills seems to be dedicated in its
entirety to giving empty speeches about human rights violations, while doing
nothing to help prevent or combat them successfully.
For individuals wishing to
gain a better understanding of Israel’s reservations regarding the way human
rights issues are tackled in Geneva by the UN, High Commissioner Pillay’s
speech should serve as a great explanation.