ISRAEL has summoned Ambassador Macairog Alberto to clarify Manila’s vote in the United Nations Human Rights Council investigation into alleged war crimes committed by Israel when it conducted “Operation Guardian of the Walls” against the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza last month.
In a statement published on the Israeli website Sunday, Foreign Ministry Director General for Asia-Pacific Affairs Gilad Cohen said he told Alberto that Manila’s vote is “unacceptable to Israel, and constitutes a reward for terrorism.”
“The Human Rights Council is a biased and anti-Israeli institution, and the decision that was made is grossly one-sided, does not mention the Hamas terrorist organization at all, and ignores the 4,300 rockets that were fired at Israeli civilians,” Cohen said.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has yet to issue a statement on the Israeli reaction.
By a vote of 24-9, with 14 abstentions, the 47-member council adopted a resolution brought by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Palestinian delegation to the UN.
“It is unacceptable that a country like the Philippines, which itself endures radical and murderous Islamist terrorism in the south of the country, would support a draft resolution that ignores the Hamas terrorist organization’s war crimes. Israel expects friends such as the Philippines not to support proposals that strengthen terrorism, and to stand by us during this time,” he added.
Aside from the Philippines, also voting in favor of the investigation were Argentina, Armenia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, China, Cote de Ivoire, Cuba, Eritrea, Gabon, Indonesia, Libya, Mauritania, Mexico, Namibia, Pakistan, Russia, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan, Uzbekistan and Venezuela.
