UN chides Israel over Palestinians

By Imogen Foulkes

The UN called for an end to Israel's "repressive measures" in the occupied territories

The United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHCR) has sharply criticised Israel for its treatment of Palestinians and for its settlement of the occupied territories.

Meeting in annual session in Geneva, the commission approved four resolutions condemning what it termed Israel's repressive measures and calling for an end to Israeli settlement of the occupied territories.

Only the United States opposed all four resolutions.

The US delegate to the commission said they were unbalanced because they failed to mention the attacks by Palestinian suicide bombers against Israelis.

It is not the first time Israel has been censured by the UNHCR, but this year's resolutions are perhaps the most strongly worded.

'Mass killings'

A motion from African and Arab countries condemned Israel for carrying out what it called mass killings of Palestinians.

This was passed by 33 votes to five, with 15 abstentions.

On this vote alone, Germany, Canada, Australia and Peru joined the United States in voting against.

A further motion from the European Union expressed grave concern at the continued Israeli settlement of the occupied territories and condemned Israel's plan to build a security wall dividing settlers from Palestinians.

This was passed by 50 votes to one.

And two other motions were approved - one asserting the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, the other asking Israel not to change the character of the Syrian Golan Heights which it has occupied since 1967.