For the first time, UN Watch, a Geneva-based independent human rights group that monitors the United Nations, has published a detailed report examining claims made by various countries under the special agenda item concerning Israel at the UN’s Human Rights Council.

The release of the 58-page “Agenda Item 7: Country Claims & UN Watch Responses” comes in advance of the 46th session of the UNHRC, which is scheduled to open this month on February 22 in Geneva and run until March 23.

Under the only debate concerning a specific country, which takes place three times a year pursuant to Agenda Item 7, the Palestinian Authority, Syria, North Korea and dozens of other council members and observers routinely accuse Israel of numerous crimes and human rights violations, while making no mention of Hamas, Islamic Jihad or the Palestinian Authority.

The report examines 23 claims made against Israel by countries in the period covering the six UNHRC sessions held in 2019 and 2020, including:

– “Israel hinders the Palestinian fight against COVID-19”

– “Israel has occupied Palestinian territory for 70 years”

– “Israel commits apartheid against the Palestinians”

– “Israel damages Palestinian holy sites”

– “Israel’s blockade of Gaza is illegal”

While all 193 countries of the world are addressed under Agenda Item 4, “Human rights situations requiring the world’s attention,” only Israel gets its own special treatment, under Agenda Item 7, “Human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories.”

There is no special agenda item on Iran, Syria, North Korea, or any other country in the world.

UN Watch executive director Hillel Neuer commented: “Israel has become a convenient punching bag and scapegoat for non-democratic states, many of them members of the UNHRC such as Cuba, Pakistan and Libya, to divert attention away from their own gross and systematic human rights abuses.”

In recent years, nearly all Western democracies have joined Israel in declining to participate in the Item 7 debate, citing the selectivity of the proceedings.

“It makes sense for democracies not to legitimize discrimination, but the problem is that many spurious claims go on the record at the United Nations with no fact-checking or accountability. This report provides the first examination of claims made under Item 7, using detailed analysis and citing sources of fact and international law. It’s time to confront the toxic brew of hate and misinformation at the UN.”

The report was researched and written by Dina Rovner, the Legal Advisor of UN Watch, with contributions from Simon Plosker, Managing Editor of UN Watch. The editor was Hillel Neuer.

Read the full UN Watch report here.