{"id":97191,"date":"2020-01-03T00:16:52","date_gmt":"2020-01-03T06:16:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=97191"},"modified":"2020-01-04T18:34:53","modified_gmt":"2020-01-05T01:34:53","slug":"equality-of-un-members-difference-in-applicability-sri-lanka-israel-examples","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2020\/01\/03\/equality-of-un-members-difference-in-applicability-sri-lanka-israel-examples\/","title":{"rendered":"EQUALITY of UN MEMBERS: Difference in APPLICABILITY: Sri Lanka & Israel examples"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This\nis not to question whether Israel is right or wrong or whether Sri Lanka is\nright or wrong but to question whether UN is treating all Members EQUALLY as\nthe UN Charter is mandated to do. The principles of\nequality and non-discrimination are part of the foundations of rule of law. Every country that is a member nation of the United\nNations is given equal rights, representation, importance, and respect. The\nmandate of the UN is to ensure the same. But how true is this in practice is a\nquestion. These are discrepancies that cannot be ignored and brings to\nfocus the question of big and small nations, powerful and rich nations versus poor,\nless powerful & developing nations. It totally creates an imbalance and disproportionality\nin treatment of UN Member nations by the UN system and it is time this imbalance\nand inconsistency & discrimination is addressed by UN \u2013 there is no point\nin carrying a crusade against discrimination etc when Members of the UN are\ntreated differently by the Members. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Israel\nhas been condemned 124 times in the UNGA and 47 times by the UNHRC and US has\nvetoed 43 Resolutions condemning Israel at the UNSC. While UN Resolutions are\ngenerally non-binding UNSC Resolutions are but the power of the veto used by US\nensures Israel is protected.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nsame US that called UNHRC a \u2018cesspool of bias\u2019 and departed is drafting\nsuccessive UNHRC Resolutions against Sri Lanka and demanding actions by Sri\nLanka for the very same proposals that US uses veto power in favor of Israel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Confounding\nmatters further is the manner UN has created Regional Groups in 1961. This has\nenabled the formation of en bloc groups of nations that by their strength of\npower exerted politically, diplomatically, economically etc lobby against less\npowerful nations lacking powerful lobby groups. The EU bloc and the majority\nMuslim bloc of nations represented via OIC is a case in point. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly\nas per Regional Group division, on a geographical basis Israel must belong to\nthe Asia-Pacific Group but the Arab and Muslim nations blocked Israel from\njoining resulting in Israel being admitted to the Western European & Other\nGroup (WEOG) in 2000 as a temporary member. It was only in 2004 that Israel\nbecame a permanent member of the WEOG but that too only in WEOG\u2019s NY headquarters\nwhile remaining observer in other UN Offices. However Israel became a full\nmember of WEOG in Geneva in 2013. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite\nthe power of OIC nations and its numerous boycotts and sanctions against Israel,\nthe powerful backing of the US gives Israel all the necessary global\nprotections. US gives Israel around $3billion in aid annually. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\nwas using the power of en bloc lobbying that spurred OIC to use member Gambia\nto file against Myanmar on genocide in the ICJ. When Gambia was given\n$92.5million by Saudi \u2013 it immediately raised question whether it was reward\nfor filing case against Myanmar!  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inspite\nof countless and piling resolutions against Israel, boycotts and sanctions by\nMuslim majority nations, Israel takes a don\u2019t care attitude of these actions by\nUN. In fact, Israel does not beat about the bush in its responses to UN\/UNHRC\nresolutions either. But then Israel can afford to as it has the powerful\nbacking of powerful nations.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In\n2018 UNHRC Commission of Inquiry Report took Israel to task over Israel\u2019s\nreaction  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/world\/israel-condemns-un-report-on-gaza-protests-says-human-rights-council-blinded-by-hatred<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reponse\nby Israel\u2019s ambassador to UN Danny Danon to UNHRC Report:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\ncountries of the world should consider their membership in the Human Rights\nCouncil, which supports a murderous terrorist organization\u2026.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This\ncouncil is blinded by hatred of Israel and the Israel Defense Forces, and\nwastes its resources and time in political attacks and spreading lies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026The\nreport ignores the only truth: that IDF soldiers acted morally to protect\nIsraeli citizens while Hamas sent children to the fence and used them as human\nshields.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The UNHRC Report was also rejected &\ncondemned by Israel\u2019s Foreign Minister<\/strong> Yisrael Katz claiming report to be\nbased on distorted data free of fact-checking: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Human Rights Council\u2019s Theatre of the Absurd has once again\nproduced a report that is hostile, mendacious and biased against Israel.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

US departed from the\nUNHRC in June 2018<\/strong>\nwith UN ambassador Nikki Haley calling\nthe UNHRC<\/strong> a protector of human rights abusers, and a cesspool of political\nbias.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anne Herzberg, NGO\nMonitor’s Legal Advisor and UN Liasion<\/strong>, told Fox News that the council had issued yet another\nabsurd report whitewashing Hamas terrorism while condemning Israel for\nprotecting its citizens. It is laughable that the UN treats cross-border\nviolence as the same as a domestic policing situation.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Herzberg continued: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

None\nof this is surprising given the UN relied overwhelmingly on information\nprovided by Hamas and terror-linked NGOs, and uncritically adopted their false\nclaims. The Commission itself had no military or legal expertise, and was\ncompletely unqualified<\/em><\/strong> to author this report.\u201d<\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t these statements echo some of the same sentiments\nmajority in Sri Lanka voice against the UNHRC?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Resolutions against Israel in UN General Assembly:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of the 27 UNGA Resolutions in 2017 \u2013 21 have been against\nIsrael <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of the 26 UNGA Resolutions in 2016 \u2013 20 have been against\nIsrael <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of the 23 UNGA Resolutions in 2015 \u2013 20 have been against\nIsrael<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of the 23 UNGA Resolutions in 2014 \u2013 20 have been against Israel<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of the 25 UNGA Resolutions in 2013 \u2013 21 have been against\nIsrael<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of the 26 UNGA Resolutions in 2012 \u2013 22 have been against\nIsrael<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From 2012 to 2017 \u2013 150 UNGA<\/strong>\nResolutions have been passed out of which 124\nResolutions have condemned Israel. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Resolutions against Israel by UN Human Rights Council (47 member\nstates):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

UNHRC was created in 2006. From June 2006 to June 2016 (10\nyears) UNHRC adopted 135 resolutions criticizing countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

68 out of the 135 UNHRC Resolutions have been against\nIsrael. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

45 of the Resolutions against Israel have been from 2006 to\n2013. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2016 \u2013 5 out of 12 country-specific resolutions against\nIsrael<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2015 \u2013 5 out of 14 country-specific resolutions against\nIsrael<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2014 \u2013 6 out of 14 country-specific resolutions against\nIsrael<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2013 \u2013 6 out of 15 country-specific resolutions against\nIsrael<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2012 \u2013 5 out of 16 country-specific resolutions against\nIsrael<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2011 \u2013 6 out of 15 country-specific resolutions against\nIsrael<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2010 \u2013 8 out of 11 country-specific resolutions against\nIsrael<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jun2008 \u2013 Dec2009 \u2013 8 out of 14 country-specific resolutions\nagainst Israel<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jun2007 \u2013 May2008 \u2013 10 out of 15 country-specific\nresolutions against Israel<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jun2006 \u2013 May2007 \u2013 9 out of 9 country-specific resolutions\nagainst Israel<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/unwatch.org\/un-israel-key-statistics\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Resolutions against Israel by UNESCO:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of UNESCO\u2019s 10 Resolutions have been against Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2013 UNESCO adopted a resolution against Syria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\nThe crux of the argument is that UN simply takes pride in recording resolutions\nagainst Israel some of which it may consider to use as precedents against other\ncountries who cannot afford to take the \u2018don\u2019t care attitude\u2019 Israel adopts\nagainst UN Resolutions. But, if UN system deems it functions on the merit of\nequality \u2013 how can some countries be treated differently to others? This is so\nunfair and completely negates all of UN\u2019s high and mighty claims of treating\nall Members Equally. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can all countries adopt the same\nstand that Israel adopts?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If Sri Lanka cannot adopt the\nsame attitude that Israel adopts \u2013 then there is something seriously wrong with\nthe UN system and the international system of governance too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where does the buck stop?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shenali D Waduge<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is not to question whether Israel is right or wrong or whether Sri Lanka is right or wrong but to question whether UN is treating all Members EQUALLY as the UN Charter is mandated to do. The principles of equality and non-discrimination are part of the foundations of rule of law. Every country that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1498,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-97191","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-shenali-waduge"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97191","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1498"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=97191"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97191\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=97191"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=97191"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=97191"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}