United States Mission Geneva

We take the floor to express our disappointment at the outcome of this session. The U.S. joined the Human Rights Council because of our deeply held belief that this institution can be a key forum for constructive and honest discussions on important human rights issues. This belief shaped our engagement on the Goldstone Report. In support of this, the United States participated actively in debate over the Report at the 12th Session of the Human Rights Council. We regret that the Council chose precipitous action rather than judicious deliberation regarding a 575 page report that has far reaching implications.

I appreciate the opportunity to address the Council with respect to the report of the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict. This is my first appearance before the Human Rights Council representing the United States as the new Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. I want to set my comments about this report in a broader context. Earlier this year President Obama expressed his deep concern over the loss of life and humanitarian suffering in both Israel and Gaza. He has also made clear his abiding commitment to comprehensive peace in the Middle East, in which two states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace and security.

The United States shares the international community’s concern about the humanitarian and human rights situation in Gaza and in Israel. It is important to keep both the humanitarian concerns of the Palestinian people and the security of Israeli citizens in mind when considering this complex situation. Both sides bear a responsibility to, at a minimum, ensure against the targeting of civilians as such and to comply with international law.

The United States has, on many occasions, urged this Council to maintain a balanced, objective, and constructive focus on the situation in Israel and in the Palestinian Territories. While we fully understand the mandate that Special Rapporteur Falk inherited, we remain concerned about the one-sided focus of the report and caution against premature legal conclusions.

The report draws attention to alleged violations of international law committed by Israeli forces, yet largely fails to acknowledge Israel’s right to self-defense and to protecting its citizenry and territory. No government can be expected to tolerate violence against its citizens and territory, and the United States again condemns the use of Gaza as a base from which to attack Israeli civilians. We encourage the Special Rapporteur to take note in future reports of the salient need to recognize Israel’s right to self-defense and the security situation it confronts.

The United States remains concerned about the use of the Human Rights Council as a platform to single out Israel for criticism; the special sessions devoted solely to the human rights situation in Gaza and the Beit Hanoun incidents are examples of activities that undermine the credibility and balance that the Human Rights Council should enjoy and exercise.