UN Human Rights Council Votes to Form 'Blacklist' of Companies Operating in Israeli Settlements

[Purveyor]

Source: Haaretz

The UN Human Rights Council passed a resolution, initiated by the Palestinians, obligating the organization to draw up a list of all Israeli and international firms operating directly or indirectly in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights.

The resolution was passed on Thursday night in Geneva, despite feverish efforts by the United States and several European countries to get the Palestinians to remove a contentious clause which calls for the compilation of a “black list” of companies. The resolution was supported by 32 countries, while 15 abstained. None opposed it.

On Thursday afternoon U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry telephoned Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in an attempt to block the resolution or at least soften its wording.

A senior Palestinian official in Ramallah told Haaretz that Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, who met with Abbas in Ramallah on Thursday, also raised this issue. Both were told that the Palestinian leadership had no intention of backing down.

The resolution was advanced with the help of Egypt, Pakistan and other Arab and Muslim countries. It includes a condemnation of the settlements, stating that they are illegal under international law, and calls on the world’s countries to refrain from providing any assistance of any kind to the settlements and to warn companies and businesses against entering into business transactions in the settlements so as not to risk being involved in human rights violations. The resolution also calls on international companies to avoid direct or indirect transactions with the settlements.



Read more: http://news.google.com/news/url?sr=1&ct2=us%2F2_0_s_3_101_a&sa=t&usg=AFQjCNH8mi0_ZVfz2O96C5jkCpMOsvPaRQ&cid=52779068050123&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.haaretz.com%2Fisrael-news%2F.premium-1.710796&ei=GNj0VpieHeSL8gGD7oPgDg&dcid=CATEGORY_INTERNATIONAL&sig2=mNU0k3xnq_RA_uldrBUt6Q&rt=HOMEPAGE&vm=STANDARD&bvm=section&did=-4206283610308663016&sid=en_us-w&ssid=w&st=1&gcnid=376&at=dt0

[pat_k]

1. "None opposed it."

[Sunlei]

2. Palestinian 'leadership' don't even allow their main newspaper to list work opportunities anymore.

[6chars]

3. Current membership of the misnamed UN Human Rights Council

You can guess which ones voted for out of hate, which ones abstained from voting against out of cowardice.

COUNTRY TERM EXPIRES ON
Albania 2017
Algeria 2016
Bangladesh 2017
Belgium 2018
Bolivia (Plurinational State of) 2017
Botswana 2017
Burundi 2018
China 2016
Congo 2017
Côte d’Ivoire 2018
Cuba 2016
Ecuador 2018
El Salvador 2017
Ethiopia 2018
France 2016
Georgia 2018
Germany 2018
Ghana 2017
India 2017
Indonesia 2017
Kenya 2018
Kyrgyzstan 2018
Latvia 2017
Maldives 2016
Mexico 2016
Mongolia 2018
Morocco 2016
Namibia 2016
Netherlands 2017
Nigeria 2017
Panama 2018
Paraguay 2017
Philippines 2018
Portugal 2017
Qatar 2017
Republic of Korea 2018
Russian Federation 2016
Saudi Arabia 2016
Slovenia 2018
South Africa 2016
Switzerland 2018
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 2016
Togo 2018
United Arab Emirates 2018
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 2016
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 2018
Viet Nam 2016

[Bad Dog]

6. It's because it's the one form of protest America can't control.

Resolutions on other countries are enforced. Iran is a prime example. Israel uses America's veto and financial and military clout to emerge unscathed from any UN resolution.

What these resolutions do is remind the world of the brutality and illegality of the occupation.

And it works. G4S have announced they're pulling out of Israel because of public pressure.

[6chars]

8. How about that moral authority of the resolution's backers?

The dictatorships vote for it. All the EU countries abstain, in hopes that this will reduce their vulnerability to things.

[Bad Dog]

9. How about you actually consider the brutality of the occupation?

Instead of shooting the messenger.

[6chars]

10. I don't advocate that Israel commit suicide

The people who want Israel to unilaterally withdraw either to "where they came from" like Helen Thomas, or to borders that were indefensible before and in the age of ISIS and Hezbollah and Iran and Hamas would be even less defensible, with no assurances of security, in a world with a 2000 year history of looking the other way, joining in, or leading when it is time to kill Jews. Nope, Israel will have to wait until the Palestinians are ready to sit down and negotiate an agreement. Until that time, Israel has to protect its citizens from PA and Hamas terror networks. Pretty much all the restrictions arose as a response to new surges of terror by the Palestinians - it has been their tactic of choice since 1948, and while it has not led to anything good for the Palestinians, it has led Israel to respond in ways that gives fodder to people who want to criticize Israel for whatever reason.

[Bad Dog]

11. You're being unnecessarily alarmist.

Israel has the best equipped army in the ME and is the sole nuclear power in the region. Ending the occupation will not amount to Israel committing suicide. In fact, once they stop building illegal settlements and occupying someone else's land they'll probably be treated a lot better by their immediate neighbours.

[6chars]

12. you have little understanding of the region

[Bad Dog]

13. Just because I'm disagreeing with you.

I know quite a lot actually. And I can spot when someone deliberately tries to avoid talking about the real issues, the occupation, illegal settlements, and instead brings up a load of red herrings, because they can't justify what's going on.

[6chars]

14. not worth my trying to explain given your level of knowledge

it's just not.

[Bradical79]

15. Present a real argument or not

No one cares if you claim you have knowledge you refuse to share. Don't be a child about it.

[6chars]

16. I said not.

When I realize the person making big claims doesn't really understand anything, it is just a waste of time to stay engaged.

[Bradical79]

19. Perhaps if you'd made an honest attempt at engagement?

You simply presented an extremely vaugue argument over the settlements with zero evidence then immediately made declarations about his/her knowledge levels rather than actually back up your own argument. How is that a rational response?

Obviously, engaging with anyone not already in agreement with you is a complete waste of time. Why do you bother?

[6chars]

20. I could suggest some books.

[Bradical79]

21. I like to read

What books do you have in mind?

[Bad Dog]

25. You can't explain.

You refuse to discuss the main issue because it's beyond you. Instead you use diversionary tactics and a load of hysterical nonsense about how ending the occupation will result in the end of Israel. Then when none of that works you adopt a patronising tone.

This is rather hackneyed tactic employed by those who simply can't debate the actual issues. I won't be wasting any more time on you.

[leftynyc]

18. You aren't getting the problem

There are parts of Israel that are like 10 miles wide. Before the army could get mobilized (even if it took 1/2 an hour), hundreds would be dead. The whole country is the size of New Jersey. Those borders were indefensible and they're not going back to them as a show of good faith to people who announce daily they want to kill Israelis and Jews. They will not commit suicide and they don't a fuck what the UNHRC has to say about it while they're silent on every other atrocity happening in that area.

[leftynyc]

5. The UNHRC

is nothing but a joke to the majority of Americans - their name alone, considering who makes it up their council, is laughable.

[Bradical79]

17. Unfortunately, the UNHRC is a joke

I agree with the action in principle, but what real influence does a human rights council have with that sort of membership? Looking at the member list, it's laughable that this group is called a human rights council.

The reality is probably that a real international UN human rights watchdog is impossible to form with the state of the world being what it is.

[stupidicus]

22. good for them -- a zionist comeuppance is long overdue

imo

[yourpaljoey]

23. It is a start... others, many more, must follow

[stupidicus]

24. others are already on it

http://www.juancole.com/2016/03/will-the-intl-criminal-court-charge-israeli-pm-netanyahu-with-war-crimes.html

[man of few w]

26. K&R

That's the correct term, right?