UN Clash: Iran Tries to Silence Testimony on its Terror Support

Iran’s delegate twice tried to stop Hillel Neuer from testifying about its sponsorship of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist group. UN Human Rights Council, March 3, 2023, Geneva, Switzerland.

FULL TRANSCRIPT 

The Syrian Arab Republic renews its condemnation of the crimes of the Israeli occupation forces and settler gangs, their gross systematic violations of human rights, and their racist and colonial practices. 

Pakistan for Islamic states: The apartheid regime has unleashed a reign of terror. 

Russia: Of particular concern is the information on victims among civilian population, destruction of civilian infrastructure.

China: China is deeply concerned that basic rights, such as rights to existence and development, have been gravely violated. 

Qatar: The blatant Israeli violation of international conventions, the Israeli racist policies. 

Iran: Violation of human rights and humanitarian law. Make accountable the perpetrators of the crimes. 

Chair: I now pass the floor to the representative of United Nations Watch. You have the floor.

Hillel Neuer, UN Watch: Mr. Chair, in psychology, attributing one’s own malicious impulses to others is known as projection. What we’ve heard from the world’s worst abusers of human rights here is a classic case. The truth is that peace and security will only come when we confront the sources of hatred and terrorism, which brings us, High Commissioner, to your report. 

On page three, we read how Palestinian Islamic Jihad in August 2022 fired hundreds of rockets at Israeli towns. Many fell short landing in Gaza, killing and injuring Palestinians. For example, on the 6th of August, one of the Jihad rockets landed on Jabalia, killing seven Palestinians, including four boys, injuring 37 others, including 24 boys and girls. High Commissioner, your report does not ask the most important question. Who stands behind the terrorists? Who’s giving the orders? The world knows the answer. 

On the day that Jihad was bombing fellow Palestinians in Jabalia, their leader Ziad al-Nakhalah was in Tehran, meeting the head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, after meeting Foreign Minister Abdollahian, who was last Monday greeted here with smiles. On January 1st, 2021, speaking on Al-Alam, the Jihad chief praised IRGC’s Qasem Soleimani for arming and training his terrorist group: “Nothing happened without his direct orders and supervision.”

Chair: Excuse me point of order. Please, I give the floor to the representative of Iran.

Iran: The allegations raised by this NGO is out of context of our discussion here on the OPT situation. So I kindly request, Mr. President, to not allow to continue this statement.

Chair: The United States.

USA: We are of the opinion that what we have heard from the intervention so far is indeed addressed to the subject matter at hand before this Council. Therefore, we respectfully ask you to allow the speaker to finish his presentation.

Chair: Venezuela.

Venezuela: Venezuela supports the point of order brought by Iran. It is not permissible to have statements that are outside the subject matter.

Chair: United Kingdom.

UK: The UK supports the right of accredited NGOs to speak and we request the speaker be allowed to finish their statement.

Chair: I now return the floor to the speaker.

Hillel Neuer, UN Watch: I remind the Islamic Republic of Iran that the report on page three refers to terror by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, whose chief said, “nothing happened without Soleimani’s direct orders and supervision.” We asked the IRGC to be designated as a terrorist entity.

Chair: Excuse me, point of order. I see, I recognize the representative of Iran for point of order.

Iran: This NGO is abusing and misusing this Council and this ID to raise allegations that are about third parties that is not involved in the situation in the OPT. So I think – and my understanding is – that this is out of the context of our debates. This representative is going to use, misuse, the Council and ID for raising the allegation against other countries. 

Chair: The United States.

USA: The United States firmly believes that representatives of accredited NGOs must be permitted to speak in this Council.

Chair: Venezuela.

Venezuela: The rules have to be complied with. They have to align their statements with the topics that are under discussion and not move outside of the topic and the mandate of this forum, and still less use offensive words against sovereign states. The contributions of civil society are welcome. But they must be based on respect and the decorum that has to prevail in this forum.

Chair: Thank you. The speaker has now exhausted his speaking time and therefore I call upon the next speaker.

 

UN Watch