UN expert accuses Israel of subjugating Palestinians

The United Nations special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories on Monday issued a blistering criticism of Israel’s policies, only a week after a UN panel charged the country with the crime of apartheid.

In a report, the UN special rapporteur Michael Lynk accused Israel of “the subjugation of [Palestinians’] humanity” and intensifying a crackdown on human rights campaigners.

Lynk made the claims in a report presented to the UN rights council during the Geneva-based body’s mandated session on Israel, known as Agenda Item Seven.

Israel is the only country targeted with a dedicated rights council agenda item.

Lynk’s scathing findings were issued days after UN official Rima Khalaf resigned over another report in which she accused Israel of being an “apartheid state.”

Khalaf said she had resisted a request from UN chief Antonio Guterres to withdraw the report.

Donald Trump’s administration had demanded that the report by UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia be withdrawn and welcomed Khalaf’s resignation.

Meanwhile, as part of its obligations under the Israel agenda item, Guterres’ office presented its latest findings to the council Monday.

“Chronic violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law by all parties have persisted,” the secretary-general’s office said, condemning Israel over settlement expansion among other offenses.

Guterres faces heightened risks in taking on Trump’s administration over Israel.

Washington funds roughly a quarter of all UN activities but Trump’s initial budget proposal foresees significant reductions.

 

Guterres’ office last week urged the US to rethink any “abrupt funding cuts.”