UN Body Accuses Israel of Apartheid
A United Nations agency published a new report accusing Israel of having established an apartheid regime that oppresses and dominates the Palestinian people. It called on the international community to condemn the policy and to mete sanctions on Israel.
The report was produced by the U.N. Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), a coalition of 18 Arab countries in Western Asia. CNS News defines apartheid as "the system of statutory, harshly-enforced racial segregation introduced by the white minority Nationalist government in South Africa in 1948, until formally ended in 1994."
"Aware of the seriousness of this allegation, the authors of the report conclude that available evidence establishes beyond a reasonable doubt that Israel is guilty of policies and practices that constitute the crime of apartheid as legally defined in instruments of international law," the report said.
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It pointed to demographic engineering and the policy of domination applied by Israel through the provision of inferior services, restrictive zoning laws and limited budget allocations on Palestinian communities. It also cited the system of military law imposed by Israel on Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The report admitted though that only a ruling by an international tribunal will make its assessment truly authoritative, but continued to seek broadened support for boycott, divestment and sanctions. It also called for the convening of a global conference by the General Assembly and Security Council to discuss further action against Israel.
It further recommended that the international community act immediately and not wait for a more formal pronouncement regarding the culpability of Israel and its government on the commission of the crime of apartheid. It also pressed for criminal prosecution of the responsible officials.
"The report concludes that the weight of the evidence supports beyond a reasonable doubt the proposition that Israel is guilty of imposing an apartheid regime on the Palestinian people, which amounts to the commission of a crime against humanity, the prohibition of which is considered 'jus cogens' in international customary law."
