Denmark, Australia: U.N. Human Rights Council must stop biased treatment of Israel

"Denmark and Australia called on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to stop its biased treatment of Israel by eliminating the controversial Agenda Item 7, when they spoke Monday at the opening of the council's 40th session in Geneva.

'As a member, Denmark will work for a Council that treats all states in an equal and fair manner. It undermines the credibility of this Council and its members when it insists on singling out one country, Israel, a democracy, under its own agenda item [7],' Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen said.

He referenced the UNHRC mandate that Israeli alleged human rights abuses must be debated at each session under Agenda Item 7. Human rights allegations against all other UN member states are debated under Agenda Item 4. Only Israel is singled out with its own separate listing on the agenda.

The United States has long worked to eliminate that agenda item without any success...

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne added, 'It is our firm view that a separate agenda item focusing on a single country situation – in this case Israel – is inappropriate. It does not occur in any other context for any other country.'..."