GENEVA (AP) — A group of three unbiased consultants working for the U.N.’s prime human rights physique with a concentrate on Israel and Palestinian areas say they’re resigning, citing private causes and a necessity for change, within the panel’s first such group resignation.
The resignations, introduced Monday by the U.N.-backed Human Rights Council that arrange the group, come as violence continues in Palestinian areas with few indicators of letup within the Israeli navy marketing campaign in opposition to Hamas and different militants behind the Oct. 7 assaults.
The Israeli authorities has repeatedly criticized the panel of consultants, often known as the Fee of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, and denied their repeated requests to journey to the area or in any other case cooperate with the group.
Council spokesman Pascal Sim mentioned the transfer marked the primary joint resignations of Fee of Inquiry members because the council was based in 2006. The group mentioned in a press release that the resignations had “absolutely nothing to do with any external event or pressure,” whereas additionally saying they offered a superb alternative to reconstitute the panel.
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Navi Pillay, 83, a former U.N. human rights chief who has led the fee for the final 4 years, mentioned in a letter to the council president that she was resigning efficient Nov. 3 due to “age, medical issues and the weight of several other commitments.”
In an interview, Pillay rejected accusations from critics who accused her of antisemitism or turning a blind eye to the Hamas assaults. She recalled how she labored intently with some Jewish attorneys within the battle in opposition to apartheid in her native South Africa and was invited to Israel because the U.N. rights chief from 2008 to 2014.
“Name-calling is not affecting me in any way,” she mentioned by cellphone. “We have striven to remain independent. That’s what we are. We’re an independent panel. We don’t take sides … We look at the evidence and see the direction it’s taking us.”
“People who accuse us of being anti-Semitic … they twist the facts, they invent facts, falsify facts. I would like to see them challenge the report: Which of the facts that we have set out are incorrect?” she mentioned.
Her fee condemned the Oct. 7 assaults three days afterward in a information launch that mentioned on the time that experiences “that armed groups from Gaza have gunned down hundreds of unarmed civilians are abhorrent and cannot be tolerated. Taking civilian hostages and using civilians as human shields are war crimes.”
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She expressed remorse that Israel didn’t permit the fee entry to Israel or Palestinian areas, saying “I feel that’s an injustice to Israeli Jews because we’re not taking on board their opinion or what they’re saying.”
Pillay mentioned she had been not too long ago identified with low platelet rely and her situation has restricted her means to journey.
Her group mentioned it wished to present the rights council’s president — at present Ambassador Jürg Lauber of Switzerland — the power to select new members.
Staff member Chris Sidoti mentioned Pillay’s retirement marked “an appropriate time to re-constitute the commission.” The third member, Miloon Kothari, didn’t present his causes in a letter saying his resignation efficient 0ct. 31.
Neither the unbiased consultants nor the council have any energy over international locations, however purpose to highlight rights abuses and acquire details about suspected perpetrators that might be utilized by the Worldwide Felony Courtroom or different courts specializing in worldwide justice.
The letters had been despatched to the council president final week however solely turned public Monday.
Final week, the U.S. authorities introduced sanctions in opposition to one other unbiased knowledgeable mandated by the council, Francesca Albanese, who has additionally targeted on Israel and the Palestinians. Albanese has accused Israel of genocide in opposition to the Palestinians, a declare Israel has denied.
Albanese mentioned in an interview final week with The Related Press that she was shocked by the U.S. determination. She has not resigned.
