TORONTO, 19 March 2012 – B'nai Brith Canada is calling on state members of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to unanimously reject the proposed Palestinian Authority resolution that calls for the establishment of an independent fact-finding mission to investigate the "implications of Israeli settlements." The Jewish human rights organization is calling this move an exercise in prejudging a situation before the evidence is even gathered.
David Matas, senior honorary counsel to B'nai Brith Canada, who has been representing the organization at the recent UNHRC meeting, stated: "The UN Human Rights Council since its inception has shown a bias against Israel, with a multiplicity of special sessions and resolutions, far more than those directed at any other state. As well, there is a special agenda item dedicated solely to Israel, and a rapporteur whose mandate never ends. Israel is the only state singled out by such measures. This resolution, if passed, would just be part of that sorry litany.
"The resolution is one-sided, setting out its conclusions prior to its planned investigation, similar to the UNHRC's resolution calling for the Goldstone Report and countless other resolutions. It is completely unhelpful to prepare a supposedly independent report in which the conclusions are pre-ordained in the mandating resolution."
David Matas was the B'nai Brith Canada representative in a B'nai Brith International delegation to the UN Human Rights Council the week of March 11 to 16.
