Alwaght- The selection of the Israeli regime, world’s foremost state sponsor of terrorism, to head a UN legal anti-terrorism committee has been met with outrage and dismay across the world.
This week brutal Israeli regime was named to head the Sixth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly for the 71st session by the Western European and Other Group (WEOG), despite objections from over 80 UN member states.
The Israeli regime’s representative to the UN Danny Danon was selected in the absence of other candidates and despite objections from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The UN has six permanent committees and its heads are normally elected by consensus without a vote but the US and the Europeans superseded the norm to have Israel at the helm of the legal panel.
During the election session, the OIC and the Arab League, as well as Syria and the Islamic Republic of Iran delivered speeches against the candidature of Israel.
Iran’s representative expressed regret over the decision of the committee and deemed the election a blow to the prestige and status of the United Nations legal committee.
“The Zionist regime is a symbol of illegality and violation of international law, and its selection for the chair of the UN Security Council legal committee is deplorable,” he said. Iran's deputy permanent representative to the UN Gholam-Hossein Dehqani has pointed out that the appointment of the Israeli regime is a mockery of all principles of the UN Charter.
Dehqani described Israel as “the principal violator of international law,” saying the regime's election to the chair is a clear example of double standards on the part of the United Nations and the West. He referred to numerous violations of the UN Charter principles, rules of international law and human rights of the Palestinian people committed by the Israeli regime, and reminded the UN of its repeated resolutions in condemnation of these moves as well as Israel's refusal to accept the demands of the international community. He stressed that under such conditions, the election of Israel is deemed as a mockery of the principles of the UN Charter and the ideals which this organization has been founded to achieve.
Meanwhile, Kuwait’s Representative to the UN said Israel as “an occupying power that is in grave breach of international law, including humanitarian and human rights law, and innumerable UN resolutions,” is "unqualified and inappropriate" to chair the Sixth Committee.
The chief Palestinian delegate at the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, complained about the results of the election, saying Arab and Muslim countries had tried to prevent an Israeli victory.
Speaking to reporters, Mansour described Israel as "the biggest violator of international law" and predicted that Danon's election was "threatening the work of the Sixth Committee."
Dr. Shaher Awawdeh, deputy permanent observer of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to the United Nations, strongly denounced Israel’s selection as the head the UN Legal Committee (officially named the Sixth Committee).
Awawdeh said such a decision is very serious as it represents a deep decline in morality and peace values, and is part of the duality in stances, especially when dealing with international issues and conflicts.
The official added that granting Israel such an important position, a committee that deals with sensitive topics, including fighting global terrorism, is a green light to Tel Aviv to continue its crimes and violations against the Palestinian people.
He added that this decision was just like allowing the Mafia to head an international committee that fights crime, and represents an official endorsement of Israel’s apartheid policies.
When the Israeli entity joined the United Nations on 11 May 1949 its membership was conditional on it fulfilling several requirements. Apart from being obliged to abide by the UN Charter, it had to declare its borders publicly and allow the Palestinian refugees to return to their homes. Nearly 70 years on, none of these obligations has been carried out. Despite such glaring and ongoing contempt for the international community worthy of the rogue state that it has become, the UN has succumbed to pressure from the Western European and Others Group (WEOG) and selected the Israeli regime to chair one of its six permanent committees. There is an endless list of acts of state terrorism sponsored by the Israeli entity, thus it is an affront to the rule of law and a scandalous perversion of the world body’s founding principles.
The Israeli regime occupying illegally Palestinian and Arab lands and commits heinous crimes regularly, including the inhuman siege and brutal wars on Gaza, the extra-judicial killing of Palestinians including women and children globally and in the occupied territories and war crimes and crimes against humanity. The Israeli regime also arrests Palestinians arbitrarily; constructs illegal settlements on occupied territory; engages in land theft; displaces the Palestinians forcibly; and refuses to allow the Palestinian people to exercise their right to self-determination.
