Israel Calls Venezuelan Re-Election to UNHRC ‘Absurdity’

YERUSHALAYIM (Hamodia Staff) —

Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon denounced the re-election of Venezuela to membership on the U.N. Human Rights Council:

“The absurdity at the U.N. knows no limits — Venezuela is the biggest ally of Iran and North Korea,” Danon said, according to The Jerusalem Post.

Despite the Israeli protest, 131 states voted in favor of returning Venezuela to the UNHRC.

“We must remember this day the next time the U.N. condemns Israel,” Danon said. “When a country like Venezuela, which suppresses its own people, forbids freedom of the press and detains members of the opposition, becomes a member of the Human Rights Council, it comes as no surprise that this council condemns Israel more than any other country in the world.”

“The only connection between these countries and human rights is how much they excel at violating them,” he added.

Venezuela’s ambassador to the U.N. Rafael Dario Ramirez retorted on Thursday, “Really, I believe that Israel has a lot of things to review. Their behavior against the Palestinian people, they have to check what they are doing…”

Israel was not alone in criticizing Venezuela’s rights record. Human Rights Watch, an NGO in the United States, said the country has cracked down on protesters, targeting journalists, human rights defenders and imprisoning several opposition leaders.

Other countries elected for a three-year term were Belgium, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Georgia, Germany, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Panama, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Slovenia, Switzerland, Togo and United Arab Emirates.

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