AFTERNOON - Human Rights Council Starts General Debate on the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action and Concludes General Debate on the Human Rights Situation in Palestine and Other Occupied Arab Territories
The Human Rights Council this afternoon started a general debate on its agenda item eight on follow-up to and implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, and concluded its general debate under its agenda item seven on the human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab Territories.
On the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, some speakers reaffirmed the importance of the promotion of universal respect for, and observance and protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with the United Nations Charter and human rights conventions. All human rights were universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated. The Declaration was no less relevant today than it was 30 years ago. Development contributed significantly to the enjoyment of human rights. Other speakers regretted that the report presented by the High Commissioner tended to securitise human rights. The politicisation and double standards of human rights was rejected. The Declaration's call to refrain from unilateral measures contrary to international law and the United Nations Charter had been ignored. Some speakers condemned the imposition of illegal unilateral coercive measures that violated international law and impeded the enjoyment of all human rights.
Speaking in the general debate on item eight were France on behalf of the European Union, Pakistan (on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation), Azerbaijan (on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement), China (on behalf of a group of countries), United States (on behalf of a group of countries), China (on behalf of a group of countries), Côte d’Ivoire (on behalf of the Group of African States), Venezuela, Cuba, Nepal, India, Armenia, Pakistan, Indonesia, Russian Federation, Benin, United States, Mauritania, China, Israel, Iraq, Australia, Algeria, Sweden, Bangladesh, Belarus, Tunisia, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Bulgaria, Ghana and Iran.
Also speaking were Beijing Crafts Council, United Nations Association of China, European Union of Jewish Students, European Centre for Law and Justice, Khiam Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture, Friends World Committee for Consultation, International Lesbian and Gay Association, Association d’Entraide Médicale Guinée, Institute for NGO Research, Asociacion HazteOir.org, Africa Culture Internationale, International Humanist and Ethical Union, Al Baraem Association for Charitable Work, Global Institute for Water, Environment and Health,Mouvement contre le racisme et pour l’amitié entre les peoples,Institut International pour les Droits et le Développement, Conectas Direitos Humanos, Youth Parliament for SDG, China NGO Network for International Exchanges, Next Century Foundation, and Sikh Human Rights Group.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Council concluded its general debate on agenda item seven on the human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories.
Some speakers reiterated their firm position in support of the Palestinian cause. The Palestinian people's human rights had been systematically and consistently violated by Israel, among which the right for self-determination. Support for the two-State solution within the 1967 borders and East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine was expressed. Other speakers were deeply troubled by the Special Rapporteur’s report which repeated the libel that Israel was practicing apartheid policies against the Palestinians. It was a clear misinterpretation of the facts and reality on the ground. The State of Israel was the only democracy in the Middle East and yet the only country subject to a specific item in the Council's agenda.
Speaking on item seven were Morocco, Algeria, Chile, Lebanon, South Africa, Bangladesh, Tunisia, Bahrain, Oman, Ireland, Iran, Niger, Sri Lanka and Jordan.
Also speaking were the Independent Commission for Human Rights of Palestine, Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP), B’nai B’rith, Khiam Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture, Human Rights Watch, European Union of Jewish Students, International Association of Democratic Lawyers, World Jewish Congress, Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy, Defence for Children International, Coordinating Board of Jewish Organizations, International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists, Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights, Touro Law Center, Organization for Defending Victims of Violence, Institute for NGO Research, American Association of Jurists, Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression, Norwegian Refugee Council, United Nations Watch, BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights, Women’s Centre for Legal Aid and Counseling, International Council Supporting Fair Trial and Human Rights, Global Institute for Water, Environment and Health, and Palestinian Return Centre Ltd.
The webcast of the Human Rights Council meetings can be found here. All meeting summaries can be found here. Documents and reports related to the Human Rights Council’s forty-ninth regular session can be found here.
The Council will reconvene at 10 a.m. on Monday, 28 March, to hold a panel discussion on the commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on the theme of voices for action against racism. It will then continue the general debate under agenda item eight.
General Debate on Agenda Item Seven on the Human Rights Situation in Palestine and Other Occupied Arab Territories
The general debate on the human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories started in the morning meeting and a summary can be found here.
General Debate
Speakers thanked the Secretary-General and the High Commissioner for their reports on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories. They reiterated their firm position in support of the Palestinian cause. The Palestinian people's human rights, primarily the right to self-determination and their right to full Statehood, had been systematically and consistently violated by Israel. Speakers reiterated their support for the two-State solution within the pre-1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine. Support was expressed for a negotiated approach between the Palestinian and Israeli sides, as it was the only effective way to reach a just and lasting solution to the conflict, in a way that guaranteed the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. The only way to achieve peace and security was to end the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and all the occupied Arab territories.
Some speakers said that the report by the High Commissioner, once again, provided a stark picture of the continued violations of international humanitarian law in the occupied territories. They condemned in the strongest terms all the human rights violations, crimes and the systematic violence practiced by the occupying power. The Council should do more to stop the continuing occupation by Israel of the occupied Palestinian territories and other occupied Arab territories. The Council had a duty to protect the human rights of the people of Palestine and other occupied Arab territories. Further calls were made on the international community to assume its legal and moral responsibilities and to intervene immediately to ensure the protection of the Palestinian people. The International Criminal Court was urged to move forward with the criminal investigation into the crimes and grave violations committed by the occupying power against the Palestinian people.
Some speakers were deeply troubled by the Special Rapporteur’s report which repeated the libel that Israel was practicing apartheid policies against the Palestinians. The report, written in an emotional tone and lacking serious legal foundation, was a clear misinterpretation of the facts and the reality on the ground. Moreover, it blindly ignored Palestinian acts of terror, mentioning Hamas only once, in a footnote, and completely disregarded Israel’s obligation to defend its citizens against such terrorism. The State of Israel was the only democracy in the Middle East and yet the only country in the world subject to a specific item in the Council's agenda. Speakers, while awaiting the first report of the Commission of Inquiry, said its conclusions would be no mystery, as it was built to attack Israel in perpetuity. These were the signs of a selective and obsessive focus on Israel that rotted the United Nations from within and put in jeopardy the credibility of the work of the entire organization.
General Debate on Agenda Item Eight on Follow-Up to and Implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action
Speakers reaffirmed the importance of the promotion of universal respect for, and observance and protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with the United Nations Charter and human rights conventions. The Vienna Declaration stressed the responsibility of all States, in conformity with the United Nations Charter, to promote and encourage respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion. All human rights were universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated. When the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action was adopted in 1993, it was a time of great change. The Declaration was no less relevant today than it was 30 years ago. The international community had made various efforts in promoting the universal respect of human rights since its adoption. Some speakers noted the progress made in the field of human rights of women, children, persons with disabilities, migrants, indigenous peoples, minorities and other disadvantaged and marginalised communities. Development contributed significantly to the enjoyment of human rights. The international community needed to work together to speed up the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Developed countries should extend more robust and targeted support and assistance to developing countries. The Vienna Declaration stated that education was essential for the promotion and respect of human rights to all individuals without distinction of any kind.
Some speakers regretted that the report presented by the High Commissioner contained an approach that tended to securitise human rights. It was essential to advance friendly relations among the nations of the world based on respect for the principles of the sovereign equality of States and their right to self-determination and non-interference in their internal affairs. The international community needed to reject the politicisation and double standards of human rights, promote balanced progress, and steer global human rights governance toward greater fairness, equity and inclusiveness. The selective and biased use of human rights as an instrument of domination had been the strategy of some countries to impose their political and ideological agendas on the countries of the South. The Declaration's call to refrain from unilateral measures contrary to international law and the United Nations Charter had been ignored. Some speakers condemned the imposition of illegal unilateral coercive measures that violated international law and impeded the enjoyment of all human rights. There should be no attempt to impose patterns of so-called democracy that disrespected the right to self-determination of people. Any country that abused democratic values and acted in interference in the internal affairs of sovereign States under the pretext of protecting democracy and human rights acted against the values of democracy.
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HRC22.049E