Friday, October 16, 2009

Israel rejects "unjust" UNHR Council resolution: 'provides encouragement for terrorists'

(monstersandcritics).Israel rejected Friday the United Nations Human Rights Council ratification of Judge Richard Goldstone's report on the fighting in and around the Gaza Strip at the turn of the year, and called on other countries to reject the council decision as well.

'The adoption of this resolution by the UNHRC impairs both the effort to protect human rights in accordance with international law, and the effort to promote peace in Middle East,' a Foreign Ministry statement issued Friday afternoon said.

Calling the UNHRC resolution 'unjust, the statement said it 'provides encouragement for terrorist organizations worldwide and undermines global peace.'

'Israel will continue to exercise its right to self-defense, and take action to protect the lives of its citizens,' the Israeli statement said.

Kadima leader Tzipi Livni slammed the UN Human Rights Council's endorsement of the Goldstone Commission Report in Geneva on Friday, and stated that Israel would continue to do "the right thing" in taking the necessary measures to protect its citizens from terrorists.

"Since its establishment, the UN Human Rights Council has looked at Israel in a distorted and distorting way - exactly like the [Goldstone Commission's] report," Livni said in a statement.

"The vote today was political and clearly cynical. Therefore, regardless of the council, Israel will continue doing the right thing - protecting its citizens in the face of terror, taking the necessary military action, continuing the international battle against the [Goldstone] report and ensuring the legal protection of IDF officers in every place," read the statement.