Israel Joins Saudi-Sponsored U.N. Resolution Against Syrian Atrocities

YERUSHALAYIM
Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Israel for the first time seconded a U.N. resolution made by Saudi Arabia at a meeting in the United Nations. The Israeli participation in sponsorship of the resolution on human rights violations in Syria elicited loud protests from the Syrian U.N. representative, who said that the Israeli action “proves” that Israel is “in league with Saudi Arabia” in fighting against Syria. Israel in the past had voted for similar resolutions, but had never seconded or co-sponsored one with the Saudis.

The incident occurred during a meeting of the U.N. Committee on Human Rights. The Saudis had sponsored a resolution condemning violations of human rights by “foreign forces” in Syria, including Hezbollah and Iranian-backed groups fighting together with the army of Bashar al-Assad. The presence of the forces had caused great suffering to civilians, and had resulted in many deaths, the resolution said. The resolution decried the “deterioration of the status of human rights in Syria,” which has led to the deaths of more than 400,000 civilians, including 17,000 children, as well as “starvation of civilians as a method of warfare, and the use of chemical weapons.”

After the resolution was read, it was time to second it, and that was done by numerous countries, including the United States, France and Germany, all of which co-sponsored the resolution. Danon raised his hand to second the resolution as well. The action elicited an immediate response from the Syrian representative, who said that he “congratulates the Saudis” on Israel’s participation in the resolution. It “actualizes the relationship between the two countries.”

Commenting on the resolution, Danon said that the Assad regime, “with the full support of Iran, has been cruelly and mercilessly massacring people for years. Israel, which has for years been providing humanitarian assistance to Syrian civilians who have been hurt by the carnage, stands with the international community against this murderous regime.”

 

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