Australia has defended its role as one of only two countries – along with the United States – to reject a United Nations Human Rights Council resolution to investigate the killings of dozens of Palestinians in Gaza on the grounds it prejudged Israel.
Australia and US were the only countries to vote against the resolution to send a commission of investigators, but it passed with the backing of 29 members of the 47-nation UN human rights body. Another 14 countries including Britain, Germany and Japan, abstained.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told Fairfax Media the resolution prejudged the outcome and failed to acknowledge the role of the Palestinian group Hamas in inciting the protests in Gaza. Some 62 people were killed by the Israeli military’s response.
“Australia voted against the Human Rights Council resolution because of our principled opposition to resolutions that fail the test of balance and impartiality,” Ms Bishop said.
“The UNHRC resolution pre-judged the outcome of an inquiry into violations of international law in the context of large-scale civilian protests in the Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem.
“Nor did it refer to the role of Hamas in inciting violent protests.”
She said Australia would still consider specific proposals for external investigations into the incidents “on their merits”.
The council – which Australia joined in January after campaigning for two years – issued a statement condemning “the disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force by the Israeli occupying forces against Palestinian civilians, including in the context of peaceful protests”.
It had gathered for an urgent meeting on Friday night, Australian time.
Israel’s ambassador in Geneva, Aviva Raz Shechter, castigated the council for “spreading lies against Israel “during “five hours of ludicrous statements”.
“Simply put, with this resolution, this council has reached a new height of hypocrisy, and the lowest standards of credibility,” she said.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said it totally rejected the resolution, adding the entire purpose of the council was “not to investigate the truth but to compromise Israel’s right to self-defence and to single out the Jewish state for demonisation”.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki welcomed the UN decision.
“The Human Rights Council’s formation of an international committee of investigation is a step towards doing justice to the Palestinian people,” he said in a statement. He urged speedy implementation “to stop Israeli war crimes”.
The special session of the Human Rights Council was convened after the bloodiest day for Palestinians in years on Monday, when 60 were killed by Israeli gunfire during demonstrations that Israel said included attempts to breach its frontier fence.
Read the full article written by David Wroe at the Sydney Morning Herald.