HUman Rights Council

Statement by Ambassador Warren W. Tichenor

Follow-up to First Session's Resolution on Israel / OPT

Friday, September 29, 2006

I thank you, Mr. President.

According to General Assembly resolution 60/251 creating this Council, the Human Rights Council is “responsible for promoting universal respect for the protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction of any kind and in a fair and equal manner.”

The Council’s unbalanced focus to date on Israel does not conform to this resolution and, if this continues, will create credibility issues for this body.

Agenda items and resolutions should be designed to advance, not retard, progress on a final settlement between Israel and the Palestinians.

This Council must be more balanced in its work. The international community, including the United States, remains appropriately concerned about violations of the human rights of Palestinians. But in expressing this concern, it must also express equal concern about the indiscriminate terror attacks that murder innocent Israelis.

The Human Rights Council should also not allow its focus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to prevent consideration of other, equally pressing situations elsewhere in the world.

And with that, I thank you, Mr. President.