GENEVA/HRC ISRAEL

Israel defended its record before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva,  marking an end to its 18-month boycott of the body over scrutiny of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories. CH UNTV

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:04:03
• Production Date: 29 October 2013
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL - UNHRC
• Subject Topical: TERRITORIES OCCUPIED BY ISRAEL
• MAMS Id: U131029a

Description

STORY: GENEVA/HRC ISRAEL
TRT:4:03
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/ NATS
DATELINE: 29 OCTOBER 2013 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

Shotlist

1. Wide shot, exterior shot, Palais des Nations
2. Wide shot, Human Rights Council
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Ambassador Evitar Manor, Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations Office in Geneva:
"In March 2012, we said "enough", Israel suspended its relations with the Council and with the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. In June 2013 I wrote to the president of the Council to reaffirm to him my intention to continue my dialogue with him and pursue a diplomatic engagement with a view to positively resolve all outstanding issues in Israel's complex relationship with the Human Rights Council. The results of this dialogue and the still ongoing engagement have allowed Israel to appear today and undergo the UPR. It was not an easy decision to make."
4. Med shot, Palestine delegation
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Ambassador Evitar Manor, Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations Office in Geneva:
"Our record is before you. It is before you. It is not a perfect record. We are here today to listen to your comments and recommendations which we shall study closely. We shall report on implementation of recommendations received during the First Cycle of UPR."
6. Med shot, Iran delegation
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Mr, Shai Nitzan, Deputy Attorney General, Ministry of Justice, Israel:
"Israel has been and continues to be faced with serious security threats, including suicide terrorism, external hostility and indiscriminate armed attacks against its civilians. Over the years, terrorist organizations have never ceased to attempt to kill innocent Israeli citizens, in Israel and around the world, and even today we hear various calls to destroy the State of Israel. The primary duty of the State of Israel, and indeed of every country - is to protect the lives of its citizens, the same right to life which underlies the Human Rights Conventions."
8. Med shot, Turkey delegation
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Mr. Peter Mulrean, Deputy Permanent Representative at the United States Mission to the UN in Geneva:
"We commend Israel for its strong commitment and track record in upholding human rights, political freedoms and civil liberties. Israel is justifiably proud of its democratic traditions and values, its free elections and its open society."
10. Med shot, podium, Human Rights Council
11. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ibrahaim Khraishi, Permanent Representative of Palestine to the UN in Geneva:
"It has no value, because it only addresses 80 per cent of the recommendations made under the first UPR. This report has not addressed the questions of the Palestinian’s human rights. The people whom I represented today as a State under examination 9 months have been lost therefore President waiting for Israel to present itself here, to come physically here."
12. Med shot, US delegation
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Mr. Mohsen Naziri Asl, Representative of Iran:
"It is unfortunate that despite systematic and flagrant violations of international obligations by Israeli Regime on Human Rights mechanisms the continuation of which.....I SEE A POINT OF ORDER TAKEN BY ISRAELI DELEGATION, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Mr. Omer Caspi, Representative of Israel:
"Thank you Mr. President, I think that maybe the Iranian representative entered the wrong room looking for the UPR of a state by the name of the Israeli Regime, we therefore request the Iranian Representative to specify exactly to which State he was referring in his statement."
15. Med shot, Israel delegation
16. Pan right, Human Rights Council

Storyline

Israel defended its record before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday, marking an end to its 18-month boycott of the body over scrutiny of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories.

"In March 2012, we said "enough", Israel suspended its relations with the council and with the office of the high commissioner for Human Rights,” Israeli ambassador Eviator Manor told the council.

"Our record is before you. It is before you. It is not a perfect record. We are here today to listen to your comments and recommendations which we shall study closely,” Manor said.

Universal Periodic Review (UPR) takes place every four years. Its aim is to investigate every aspect of a country's human rights record. The UPR of Israel was planned to be carried out on January 29, 2013, but Israel became the first country to boycott the process.

In March, Israel declared not to work with the council as well. Palestinian Ambassador Ibrahim Khraishi said Israel’s presence had no value. “It has no value, because it only addresses 80 per cent of the recommendations made under the first UPR. This report has not addressed the questions of the Palestinian’s human rights.”

But its human rights record was praised by its strong ally the United States whose Ambassador, Peter Mulrean, Deputy Permanent Representative at the U.S. Mission to the UN in Geneva said, “We commend Israel for its strong commitment and track record in upholding human rights, political freedoms and civil liberties. Israel is justifiably proud of its democratic traditions and values, its free elections and its open society.”