Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Aviva Raz Shechter, delivered a strong rebuke of the U.N. Human Rights Council on Sunday in her farewell address to the organization.
Shechter accused the council of unfairly targeting Israel and fostering “institutionalized anti-Semitism” through its notorious Agenda Item 7.
Agenda Item 7 is the only permanent item on the UNHRC agenda against a particular country. It targets Israel and Israel only, and requires Israel’s record on human rights to be debated in practically every meeting of the council.
Shechter called the agenda item “nothing but a systematic mechanism of discrimination against Israel and Israelis, one deeply rooted in the culture of this council and of some of its member states.”
Accusing the UNHRC of aiding and abetting Palestinian recalcitrance, Shechter said, “Let me remind you today, as I am reaching my end of term here, that the United Nations called for the creation of two states in November 1947. The U.N. resolution was accepted by the Jewish side and rejected by the Arab side. The Arab effort to deny and destroy the Jewish State started immediately—and for some, has never ceased—but the fact is, demonstrated over and over at the U.N. Human Rights Council and across the U.N. system—Palestinian leadership and its representatives prefer victimhood to peace, PR stunts to truth, blame games to taking responsibility either for what has been or what could be.”
Shechter concluded her remarks by saying, “I hope and pray that we will find a sustainable compromise and enjoy better days ahead at home and in our region, despite your efforts, and not because of them.”
This article first appeared in Israel Hayom.