World Jewish Congress (WJC) CEO Robert Singer on Friday lamented the adoption of what he termed “counterproductive resolution by a UN body that again unfairly singles out Israel for criticism”.
Singer declared: “The General Assembly, the Human Rights Council, the UNESCO Board, and now the World Health Organization: it is sad that at the United Nations, bashing Israel and applying double standards has become a sport. It is also regrettable that many European nations increasingly seem to be willing to play along. They should know better,” he added.
On Wednesday, the 69th World Health Assembly in Geneva, adopted a decision with the support of major European countries that considers Israel’s occupation of the territories it captured in the 1967 Six Day War the root cause for all major shortcomings with respect to health care provision in these territories. Only eight countries, including Canada and the United States, rejected the text, 107 voted in favor of it, while others either abstained or did not take part in the vote.
Among other things, the resolution alleges a negative impact of the “prolonged occupation and human rights violations on mental, physical and environmental health and on the development of a sustainable health system in the occupied Palestinian territory, including the health consequences of insecure living conditions notably as a result of displacement, home demolitions and the denial of medical services.”
Robert Singer said: “According to the WHO’s own report earlier this week, Israel has one of the best health-care systems in the world. Its citizens, non-Jewish minorities included, have the sixth-highest life expectancy in the world. Israel also provides health care to Syrian refugees and also to many Palestinians. Israel helps to ensure that all people have, as much as humanly possible, have access to good health care. And yet, it is Israel that is the only country which the World Health Assembly singles out for criticism.
“Why is there such outrage against the State of Israel? Where is the outrage against Syria and Iraq, where more than 500,000 men, women and children have been slaughtered in recent years? If the UN is going to restore its standing, it needs to stop giving voice to those who would rather point the world’s finger at Israel than risk having it pointed at themselves,” declared the WJC CEO.
