UN claims Israel’s West Bank presence subjugates Palestinians ‘by design’

The Board of Deputies has lashed out at a “disgraceful” comment in the latest United Nations report on Israel.

It follows publication of the End-of-Mission Statement of the UN Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, with one comment in particular standing out.

“By design, Israel’s 55-year occupation of Palestine has been used as a vehicle to serve and protect the interest of a Jewish State and its Jewish people, while subjugating Palestinians,” it said. “Many stakeholders consider that this practice amounts to apartheid.”

The Board of Deputies ’ senior vice-president David Mendoza-Wolfson said: “This disgraceful statement is just the kind of thing we have come to expect from a body that is so often biased against the State of Israel.

“The use of ‘by design’ shows wilful ignorance by this committee of the history of the 1967 war, the Intifadas, the Oslo Accords, and attempted peace negotiations of Camp David, Taba, the Olmert Plan, and the 2013-14 talks.

“It is our hope that the parties return to direct negotiations. This needs to be supported by the international community and not further complicated by lazy and inaccurate reports.”

The Special Committee conducted its annual mission to Jordan over four days earlier this month, meeting Palestinian government officials, UN organisations, and representatives of Palestinian civil society organisations. It also visited the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) headquarters, and Marka refugee camp.

It said it regretted that Israel “did not respond to its request for consultations with Israeli authorities or for access to Israel, the occupied Palestinian territory and the occupied Syrian Golan”, and that “Israel’s persistent refusal to engage with the UN mechanisms mirrors a lack of accountability for Israeli conduct in the occupied Palestinian territory”.

It added: “The protracted occupation, and an entrenched culture of impunity, severely undermine the prospect of Palestinians and Israelis enjoying human rights on an equal basis and living side by side in peace and dignity.”