This morning, Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan spoke at a UN meeting in which the report by the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into Israel established by the Human Rights Council was presented. The Ambassador was joined by Shani and Asaf Avigal, the parents of the late Ido Avigal, who was killed by a Hamas rocket that hit the bomb shelter of his home during Operation Guardian of the Walls in May 2021. Ambassador Erdan demanded that the members of the Commission look into the eyes of Ido's parents and explain why they chose to deliberately ignore the death of their son, like all the victims of terrorism in Israel.
Israel's mission to the UN said that "the COI report does not mention Hamas, rockets, or the word terrorism at all. Instead, it places responsibility on Israel for every aspect of the conflict. The report, just like the Commission that wrote it and the Council that appointed it, is illegitimate. Supporting the report proves that terrorism pays off and promotes antisemitism and violence against Jews."
In his remarks, Ambassador Erdan slammed the selection of the Members of the Commission saying, "…how do you choose Commissioners that will ensure the desired outcome of demonizing Israel? You don't choose them for their investigative skills but rather for their very public and very poisonous hatred of Israel. They were chosen precisely because they abhor the Jewish State."
He also presented anti-Israel and antisemitic quotes from members of the Commission, "Ms. Pillay, calling Israel an apartheid state and supporting the boycott of Israel are the only reasons why you were chosen to lead this Commission. Could anyone honestly think you're impartial? Mr. Sidoti, not only do you ridicule antisemitism, you're also a strong supporter of numerous pro-Palestinian organizations. You're definitely not an objective member. According to Mr. Kothari, Israel doesn't even deserve to be a member of the UN, and that's just a taste of his venomous statements."
In the meeting, the Ambassador presented signs with clear quotes from the members of the Commission proving their anti-Israel and antisemitic positions. In addition, Ambassador Erdan referred to the illegitimacy of the Human Rights Council itself, a body which continues to discriminate against the State of Israel on a regular basis, simply because it is a Jewish state. He said, "Here are some facts that prove this: The Council has adopted more resolutions condemning Israel than resolutions condemning Syria, Iran, and North Korea – combined. The Council dedicated a permanent Special Agenda Item against Israel – the only country in the world to have this – ensuring that not a single Council session passes without the chance to bash Israel. Nothing screams antisemitism more than this blatant double standard against the one and only Jewish State."
Ambassador Erdan added, "Maybe the UN could learn from Adidas when it comes to hiring blatant antisemites!"