Fighting Anti-Israeli Bias
Countering
Item 7
THE UNHRC'S STANDING AGENDA ITEM
TARGETING ISRAEL
Every session of the UN Human Rights Council features a standing agenda item targeting Israel. No other country in the world—not Iran, Russia or North Korea—is singled out in this fashion.
We examine false claims made at the UN under this rubric, show viral videos of UN Watch’s speeches in the Item 7 debates, and provide other key information to support the campaign to abolish a discriminatory institution that was condemned by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon the day after its adoption.
what is item 7?
Nine out of the 10 items on the Council’s standing agenda are generic, and do not refer to any particular country or situation. Item 7, however, is titled the “Human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories,” which is defined by UNHRC Resolution 5/1 as covering “Human rights violations and implications of the Israeli occupation of Palestine and other occupied Arab territories.”
Under this debate, which takes place in sessions held three times a year, Syria, Cuba, North Korea and dozens of other council members and observers accuse Israel of numerous crimes and human rights violations, while making no mention of Hamas, Islamic Jihad or the Palestinian Authority.
Examining Claims
The debate is entirely one-sided. Israel, the United States and most other democracies no longer participate in the proceedings of Agenda Item 7, in protest against its selectivity. As a result, many claims enter the record at the United Nations despite having no basis in fact. On this page, UN Watch examines numerous of these claims, and corrects the record.
Take action!
Sign our petition to tell the UN: It’s time to abolish the discriminatory Agenda Item 7. The singling out and scapegoating of Israel must stop now!
