By Tribune Staff
The UN Commission on the Status of Women, by a vote of 41-2, adopted a resolution last Friday condemning Israel for its so-called abuse of Palestinian women and children. The non-binding motion, which was opposed by only Canada and the United States, called on Israel to allow all Palestinian refugee women and children to return to their homes.
“The UN has again betrayed its true colours by using its apparatus to demonize and delegitimize Israel instead of focusing appropriately on constructive solutions to real and pressing problems elsewhere in the world,” said Frank Dimant, B’nai Brith Canada’s executive vice president. “It is a sad state of affairs when the entity mandated to seek solutions to problems affecting billions of women worldwide, chooses instead to focus entirely on Israel’s supposed misdeeds. This is not the body that is meant to rule on the right of return demanded by the Palestinians.
“Clearly this is a case of a UN body being politicized against Israel. Why is it that in the same discussion there is no mention of the plight of Israeli mothers and children whose families have been destroyed by suicide bombers? Why for example, are these same UN voices not demanding urgent assistance and relief for the women and children of Darfur?”
B’nai Brith Canada gave top marks to the Conservative government of Stephen Harper, for voting as it did on principle to oppose the prejudicial resolution.
“Canada has shown itself up to the task in what was the first UN test for the new government on Israel,” continued Dimant. “We were pleased to see Canada playing a leadership role by shifting its voting behaviour from an abstention last year to a decisive no this year.
“We are confident that Canada’s principled stance will be a harbinger of how the government intends to vote in future UN proceedings.”
The next test for Canada will be at the coming Commission on Human Rights, if indeed the forum goes forward as scheduled. Canada had been amongst the forefront of states advocating that the commission be replaced by a Human Rights Council with stricter membership criteria, which could authoritatively speak on human rights issues.
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