Israel, U.S. Working to Block UN Resolution on 'Black List' of Settlement-linked Firms

[Little Tich]

Source: Haaretz

UN Human Rights Council to vote on Palestinian initiative calling on international companies to avoid direct or indirect transactions with businesses linked to the West Bank.

Israel and the United States are making intense diplomatic efforts to block a resolution slated to be voted on Thursday by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva that would obligate the organization to draw up a list of all Israeli and international firms operating directly or indirectly in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights, senior Israeli and Palestinian officials said.

The resolution was a Palestinian initiative being advanced with the help of Egypt, Pakistan and other Arab and Muslim countries. The resolution includes a condemnation of the settlements, stating that they are illegal under international law, and calls on the world’s countries to refrain from providing any assistance of any kind to the settlements and to warn companies and businesses against entering into business transactions in the settlements so as not to risk being involved in human rights violations. The resolution also calls on international companies to avoid direct or indirect transactions with the settlements.

But what’s even more worrisome to Jerusalem is Article 17 of the resolution, in which the UNHRC asks the UN high commissioner for human rights “to produce a database of all business enterprises [both Israeli and international – B.R.] involved in the activities in the settlements,” that would be updated once a year.

The activities detailed in the resolution are not just settlement construction but even the supply of construction materials or equipment, the supply of monitoring equipment for the separation barrier, the supply of equipment used in home demolitions, supplying security services or equipment to the settlements or supplying financial or banking services that aid the settlements, including loans and home mortgages

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[6chars]

1. Orwellian-named UN Human Rights Council

It has more resolutions condemning Israel than condemning the rest of the world combined. It has singled out one country, Israel, to be a permanent feature of every council session. etc. etc.

Frankly, it is a lot like some DUers. LOL!!

[katsy]

2. How does saudi arabia, uae & morocco

Get a seat on the HRC?

Women's rights are human rights and I'm surprised they would in any way support equality for women. What am I missing? LGBTQ are human rights issues. Freedom of religion or not is a human right. Why are these theocracies on the HRC?

That being said... I've always voted with my $. People have the right to vote with their $.

But the UN HRC lacks all credibility by condemning Israel and turning a blind eye to the atrocious human rights records of their members. Hypocrisy.

[King_David]

3. The resolution was a Palestinian initiative being advanced with the help of Egypt, Pakistan

On a Human rights council?



Nuff said!

[leftynyc]

4. Do you freeking believe this?

And they expect people to take it seriously? No wonder the US wants nothing to do with it.

[shira]

7. Israel haters love the UN & can't find fault with it. Their kind of human rights. n/t

[leftynyc]

8. I'm among those

that called the un Useless Nations. I have no use for them whatsoever and they've been taken over by tin pot dictators. Pakistan on the security council makes me want to bang my head against the wall. We wont even get into what the diplomats think they can get away with because of diplomatic immunity - it's disgusting.

[6chars]

5. UN HRC approves 5 anti-Israel resolutions Thursday

And probably zero others for the year.

They really should rename it the UN Anti-Israel Council Number One.

People hear UN and they think of the model UN from high school and trick or treat for unicef, and movies and get warm fuzzies about humanity working out its problems. But really, all the united nations are is nations uniting. What are they uniting about? They are uniting about what they care about. The UNHRC is largely Muslim countries that unite about hating Israel. So is this a good thing? Hell no. Unity in hating Jews is no virtue.

[King_David]

6. The UNHRC is a disgrace,

And a joke .

[leftynyc]

9. Amen to that

Disgrace is only one of the words that come to mind.