U.S. Remarks at a Third Committee Interactive Dialogue with the Chair of the Commission of Inquiry on Israel and the OPT

"The United States is committed to advancing human rights in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. Promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms is important in its own right and as a means of preserving and advancing the prospects of a negotiated two-state solution.

The United States remains deeply concerned about the creation of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) last May. We reiterate our position that this does nothing to advance peace between Israelis and Palestinians. The final report presented today includes recommendations that reflect the unwieldy scope of the COI.

We also reaffirm our condemnation of antisemitism and anti-Israel bias. We cannot ignore the fact that a current member of the commission made antisemitic comments in late August, referring disparagingly to the “Jewish lobby” and questioning whether the State of Israel is meeting its obligations as a member of the United Nations. We categorically reject this statement, which we deem to be outrageous, inappropriate, and corrosive. We regret that senior UN leadership has still not publicly repudiated these repugnant statements or asked this commission member to step down. No country is above scrutiny, and we will continue to advocate that the UN system treat any concerns related to Israel the same way it treats concerns with other States.

We ask: Can you provide information on steps you are taking as chair of the COI to ensure related human rights monitoring and investigative mechanisms remain fully objective and impartial?"