GENEVA: Israel came under sustained criticism from its Arab neighbors over its human rights record at a UN council Thursday, with Western states also expressing concern at the treatment of Palestinians.
The Jewish state was being examined by the UN Human Rights Council as part of the Universal Periodic Review to which every UN member state must submit.
In Thursday s session, Syria s ambassador to the council referred ironically to the oasis of democracy he claimed was presented by Israel s own submission as part of the proceedings.
The Palestinian representative declared he was astonished by Israel s presentation which did not mention its responsibilities as an occupying power in the Palestinian territories.
Israel s ambassador Aharon Leshno-Yaar said his country wished to show proof of its humility before the council, but also pointed to progress in the rights of disabled people, greater tolerance of sexual diversity and the banning of corporal punishment in schools.
This failed to convince Israel s Arab neighbors who rained down criticism of the treatment of the Palestinians who have lived under occupation for more than four decades.
Egypt accused Israel of choosing to ignore its obligations and called for the blockade of Gaza to be lifted in its entirety.
Western European states also chided Israel, with France expressing concern about laws and regulations that are favorable to Jewish citizens, especially regarding land rights.
France urged Israel to sign and ratify the international convention on forced disappearances and to ensure its laws conform with the UN convention against torture.
Israel has frequently been the target of condemnatory resolutions by the 47-member Human Rights Council, leading to criticism from some quarters that the body is overly focused on the Israel-Palestinian conflict to the detriment of other rights abuses elsewhere in the world. -AFP
