Israel’s Foreign Ministry has issued a statement today angrily condemning the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for a report calling on it to stop expanding settlements, with spokesman Yigal Palmor saying that the report itself would harm peace talks.
The report came as part of the routine reviews all UN member nations must face, though Israel boycotted the review ahead of time. The review calls on Israel not only to stop expanding settlements but to prepare for withdrawals, saying that they violate the fourth Geneva Convention.
Avigdor Lieberman, Israel’s former Foreign Minister, also angrily attacked the report, saying it proved that the UNHRC is plotting to hurt “Zionist activities” and insisting that Israel will “continue to build” in spite of the warnings.
Lieberman went on to express annoyance that the report didn’t include any condemnations of Syria, though why Syria would even be mentioned in what was a report on the human rights situation in Israel is unclear.
