FILE - The empty seat of the representative of Israel is pictured during Iranian Foreign Minister's Ali Akbar Salehi, (not pictured), speech at the Disarmament Conference at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, 28 February 2012. EPA/JEAN-CHRISTOPHE BOTT
FILE – The empty seat of the representative of Israel is pictured during Iranian Foreign Minister’s Ali Akbar Salehi, (not pictured), speech at the Disarmament Conference at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, 28 February 2012. EPA/JEAN-CHRISTOPHE BOTT

 

Geneva –  The U.S. government is decrying a resolution passed by the Human Rights Council that calls on the U.N. human rights chief to set up a database of businesses operating in settlements in the West Bank and Golan Heights.

U.S. Ambassador Keith Harper denounced the “especially disturbing” resolution that “only serves to reinforce the council’s one-sided actions against Israel” and said it exceeded the council’s authority.

Pakistan, which presented the resolution, argued that the Israel settlements violate international law. It passed 32-0 with 15 abstentions, and was among 37 passed in the council’s latest session that ended Thursday.

The resolution “requests” that U.N. rights chief Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein “investigate the implications of the Israeli settlements” on Palestinians and produce a database of businesses with activities highlighted by a U.N. fact-finding mission.

As reported by Vos Iz Neias