SWC Denounces “Dastardly and Biased” Anti-Israel UN Report; Urges US to Defund UN Human Rights Council Until it Terminates Commission of Inquiry

October 20, 2022

The Simon Wiesenthal Center denounced a report issued today by the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel that savagely condemned the Jewish State for the continuing conflict between Israel and Palestinians. 

The blatantly prejudiced 28-page report was produced by three commissioners, including Chair Nava Pillay, who have made blatant anti-Israel and anti-Jewish statements. 

Not surprisingly, the report, expected to be submitted for approval to the UN General Assembly on Oct. 27, fails to discuss the continuing human rights abuses of the terrorist-enabling Palestinian government, and terrorist Hamas and Hezbollah.

“The Pillay Commission is a witch hunt, plain and simple,” said Rabbi Eric J. Greenberg, SWC’s Director of United Nations Relations and Strategic Partnerships. "It violates the UN’s own guidelines demanding impartiality and fairness. We call on UN Human Rights Council President Federico Villegas Office to disband this unethical, dastardly and biased committee that violates the UN’s own guidelines on impartiality and fairness.”

Rabbi Abraham Cooper, SWC’s Associate Dean and Global Director of its Ed Snider Social Action Institute noted that “at a time when Russia threatens nuclear war against a peaceful neighbor, when Communist China crushes its Uyghur minority, when Iran murders its women and children in the streets and schools of the nation, the UNHRC wastes its diplomatic currency to focus on Israel, like no other nation of the world."

“The Simon Wiesenthal Center denounces the United Nations for failing to cancel the pre-baked anti-Israel COI led by anti-Semites and individuals with extreme anti-Israel bias. We urge UN Secretary General Gutteres to abort the COI’s nefarious mission and urge the United States to withdraw all funding from the UNHRC unless and until its Israel-bashing is ended.”

For further information, please email Michele Alkin, Director of Global Communications at malkin@wiesenthal.com or Shawn Rodgers at srodgers@wiesenthal.com, join the Center on Facebook, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sent directly to your Twitter feed.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is an international Jewish human rights organization numbering over 400.000 members. It holds consultative status at the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the OAS, and the Latin American Parliament (PARLATINO).