The United Kingdom called on the U.N. Human Rights Council to ends its long-standing bias against Israel and drop the controversial agenda item singling out the Jewish state.
“We share the view that the dedicated Agenda Item 7 focused solely on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories is disproportionate and damaging to the cause of peace, and unless things change we shall vote next year against all resolutions introduced under Item 7,” Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson told the council at the opening of its 38th session in Geneva on Monday, AFP reported.
Israel is the only country with a dedicated item at the UNHRC, known as Agenda Item 7, which mandates a discussion of Israel’s conduct with the Palestinians at every session.
The statement by the British come as the United States appears to be close to pulling out of the UNHRC over its continued anti-Israel bias.
“When the Human Rights Council treats Israel worse than North Korea, Iran and Syria, it is the council itself that is foolish and unworthy of its name,” U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said in March after the council passed five anti-Israel resolutions under Agenda Item 7.
