Is UN really promoting human rights for all?
In the eyes of UN officials, being Israeli seemingly justifies torture and murder.
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In the eyes of UN officials, being Israeli seemingly justifies torture and murder.
The UN's response to the horrific massacre of October 7th involving Hamas terrorists is inadequate and inconsistent with moral standards, marking a concerning moment in the organization's history since its establishment in 1945.
The atrocities of Hamas against men, women, and children are the stuff of nightmares — whole families were burnt alive, babies were murdered in their cribs, and Israeli women and girls were systematically subjected to torture, sexual mutilation, and mass rape — these are acts of evil.
In just 24 hours, over 1,200 Israelis were massacred, approximately 360 of them were young people killed at a music festival. Actually, not killed — but massacred. Another 240, including infants and the elderly, were abducted, with more than 129 still being held in the Gaza Strip. Not a single hostage has received a visit from the Red Cross.
What actions did the United Nations take in response to these horrors? Sadly, very little, if anything at all.
Israel has faced discrimination within the UN, encountering openly hostile attitudes from various offices and agencies. Undoubtedly, the UN's behavior since October 7th, which undermines its mandate to promote human rights and treat all individuals equally, has been disgraceful, leaving an indelible stain on its image.
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The biggest disappointment? UN Women. This organization is expected to promote gender equality and empower women.
However, since 7 October, UN Women, under the direction of Sima Bahous, simply ignored the victims. Despite testimony documenting the killing of women, images depicting abducted, injured, and bound women, as well as evidence verifying sexual abuse, Ms. Bahous showed little interest. Only on December 1st, nearly two months after the atrocities, did Bahous issue a statement condemning the sexual violence by Hamas, and this came only after substantial pressure.
Reem Alsalem, the UN's Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, did not show notable concern for reports of violent attacks on women in Israel. Just four days after the massacre on October 11th, she quickly posted on X (formerly Twitter), displaying unparalleled hypocrisy for someone in her role, dismissing those accounts as "misinformation and disinformation." The "Me Too" movement seems to have its limits, especially if you are Jewish, let alone Israeli.
Instead of being a voice for women who were raped, abducted, and murdered, these two senior officials aligned themselves with the terrorists who committed those crimes.
On the tragic day of 7 October, 39 Israeli babies and young people were kidnapped to Gaza, with a 4-year-old girl left hostage after witnessing her parents' murder. She is now an orphan. Many more children are left with psychological terror. Some of them, while in captivity, were forced to watch graphic videos of Hamas' barbaric acts and held in subhuman conditions, facing extreme hunger and denied medication.
Surprisingly, UNICEF, the UN children's agency known for its motto "for every child," did not issue a demand for the immediate release of the child hostages, even on World Children's Day, November 20th.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell canceled a visit to Israel and a meeting with families of the hostage children, claiming that she had been hurt in a car accident, but somehow found the strength to visit Gaza the following day. Like UN Women, UNICEF has made its position crystal clear: "for every child," except for Israeli children.
Most notably, UN Secretary-General António Guterres demonstrated indifference toward Israeli suffering. When denouncing the brutal terror attack, he did so briefly, using emotive language only when discussing Palestinians. Guterres added a 'but' to every sentence, implying victims were somehow to blame for their own deaths.
This perspective on Israel is a longstanding one. The UN consistently passes over 20 pro-Palestinian resolutions each year. Israel has confronted acts of terror since the establishment of the UN and even earlier. Throughout this period, the UN has yet to acknowledge or take any supportive action for Israel or its citizens, who have been victims of terrorism and abuse.
In the eyes of UN officials, being Israeli seemingly justifies torture and murder. The UN, established to uphold human rights, dignity, and equality, has failed its commitments whenever Israelis are involved. That, ladies and gentlemen, is what the UN is about.
