General Debate Under Item 6: Universal Periodic Review Outcome

Dear Mr. President,

This is a joint statement by International Organization for the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination (EAFORD) and Geneva International Centre for Justice (GICJ).
Half a century has elapsed since Israel established its brutal occupation of Palestine and seven decades have passed since the Palestinian Nakba. Since then, all efforts by the international community to effectively address Israeli violations, including Palestinian inalienable rights, are consistently undermined by Israel’s non-cooperation.

After having failed to appear in the UPR of January 2013, Israel’s subsequent actions were marked by non-compliance. Contrary to recommendations, Israel consistently fails to cooperate with human rights mechanisms and to recognize and abide by its international obligations as Occupying Power.

Israel rejected all recommendations containing the term “State of Palestine” – an absurd move that reflects Israel’s longstanding, strategic, and organized negation of Palestinian legitimate national claims. In direct contravention to UPR recommendations, Israel persists in its illegal occupation, including the suffocating Gaza blockade, and subjects Palestinians on both sides of the Green Line to a system of apartheid and institutionalized discrimination affecting all spheres of life. In breach of UPR recommendations, Israel has issued anti-democratic laws and increasingly persecutes human rights defenders, including Jewish Israeli dissidents, as public enemies.
Israel’s complete disregard of UPR recommendations renders its contempt for human rights blatant. The international community must now take forcible measures to compel Israel to cease its violations and to hold Israel accountable for its complete intransigence and disrespect for all of its obligations to give way to real democracy and just peace in the region.

Thank you,