GENEVA, Nov. 28 - In reaction to news reports that Israel was admitted into the UN Human Rights Council's Western Group, UN Watch Executive Director Hillel Neuer emphasized that the decision is not yet final, and issued the following comment:
"Though it's not yet final, we are hopeful that very soon Israel will be admitted into the Human Rights Council's Western group, putting an end to a discriminatory practice of many years at the UN, whereby the Jewish state was segregated, in violation of the UN Charter's equality guarantee, into a category of its own, as the only nation excluded from a regional group."
"Contrary to several news reports, admission to WEOG in Geneva is unrelated to membership on the 47-nation council, and it will not detract from the Arab states' continued ability to target Israel in resolutions, urgent sessions and a special agenda item."
"Rather, WEOG admission would allow Israel to participate together with all 192 other UN member states in receiving regular briefings, and to have its small say in the selection of council investigators, known as special rapporteurs. More than anything, what regional group admission would means for Israel is a sign of equal treatment, and the removal of a symbol of bigotry and ugly stain upon the reputation of the UN."
UN Watch is a Geneva-based human rights organization founded in 1993 to monitor UN compliance with the principles of its Charter. It is accredited as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in Special Consultative Status to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and as an Associate NGO to the UN Department of Public Information (DPI).
