Israel's Contentious Relationship with UN Human Rights Bodies Keeps on

TEHRAN (IQNA) - Israel has long had a contentious relationship with UN Human Rights bodies, including the post of an independent investigator for the Occupied Territories. It accuses the forum of bias against itself, the position which has always been backed by its main ally, the United States.

The United Nations investigator for human rights violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories has recently resigned due to Israel's failure to grant him access to the areas he is tasked with monitoring.

"Unfortunately, my efforts to help improve the lives of Palestinian victims of violations under the Israeli occupation have been frustrated every step of the way,” Makarim Wibisono said of his resignation, which he submitted to the President of the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council last week, to become effective as of 31 March.

Makarim Wibisono, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories

The reason of his resignation, he says, was because of Tel Aviv’s continual refusal to allow him entry into the West Bank and Gaza, unlike what it previously promised.

Repeated requests for access, both written and oral, have been unsuccessful. "With no reply from Israel to my latest request, in October 2015, to have access by the end of 2015, it is with deep regret that I accept the premise upon which I took up the mandate, which is to have direct access to the victims in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, will not be fulfilled,” he said.

Despite limitations of movement, Mr. Wibisono documented Israeli crimes during its 2014 war on Gaza and urged Israeli officials to investigate the killing of thousands of Palestinians, among them many children and women, another request that eventually fell on deaf ears.

"The bottom line remains that, if Gaza is to recover from the damage wrought by multiple rounds of hostility and a shattered economy, the blockade must be lifted. The people deserve help and realization of their human rights," he said in June 2015.

Mr. Wibisono also reported about ongoing violations committed in the Occupied West Bank including systematic detention, ill treatment of the Palestinian children, brutal raids, and Tel Aviv’s illegal settlement activities.

It is my sincere hope that whoever succeeds me will manage to resolve the current impasse, and so reassure the Palestinian people that after nearly half a century of occupation the world has not forgotten their plight and that universal human rights are indeed universal,” said Mr. Wibisono.

Earlier UN experts had urged end to harassment of human rights defenders in Occupied Palestinian Territory.

"The continued harassment of human rights defenders in the region, who are exercising their rights to freedoms of expression and association, is simply unacceptable. It should cease immediately,” UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Michel Forst, stressed last December.

UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Michel Forst

The previous UN rapporteur had also suffered almost the same thing. American law professor Richard Falk was prevented from entering Palestinian territories during his six years in office. He is largely remembered by his comments comparing Israelis to Nazis. Richard Falk also proposed boycotting Israeli settlements, and at one time said that Israel had "genocidal" intentions toward the Palestinians

The last rapporteur allowed passage to Occupied territories was South African law professor John Dugard, who entered in 2007. As Palestine joins the International Criminal Court, John Dugard talks about how an apartheid case could be brought against Israel in the ICC.

"I’m a South African who lived through apartheid," Dugard said. "I have no hesitation in saying that Israel’s crimes are infinitely worse than those committed by the apartheid regime of South Africa."

Israel has long had a contentious relationship with UN Human Rights bodies, including the post of an independent investigator for the Occupied Territories. It accuses the 47 member State forum of bias against itself. The position is backed by its main ally the United States.

Former UN rapporteur and law professor Prof. John Dugard

Israel has defied every relevant United Nations Resolution since 1967, including the Geneva Convention Article, which says Israel has to respect and signed for. According to the article, Israel has to treat Palestinian civilians as a human.

It is not only the United Nations works that Israel does not recognize a legitimate. Tel Aviv has separately said the International Criminal Court has no jurisdictions to investigate its crimes in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Israel occupied the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem during the 6-Day War of 1967. Ever since, it has been committing all sources of crimes before the eyes of international observers and getting away with them. The reason Israel can do that is the American veto in the United Nations concerning all draft resolutions against Israel.

It goes without saying that Israel is not accountable to anybody because of the US unwavering support to the Zionist regime, especially through American veto. The United States has shown great forbearance toward Israel. The sad fact is that Washington is giving Israel carte blanche to pursue its heavy-handed actions against Palestinians.

According to former Zionist regime prime minister Ariel Sharon, known as the butcher of Sabra and Shatila, Israel controls the United States because it has Jewish lobby, senators and congressmen. If someone dares to defy Israel in the Congress, the next time that they want to be a congressman they would be voted out.