UN Independent Commission of Inquiry (Gaza) Debate
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Matthew Offord
Main Page: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)Department Debates - View all Matthew Offord's debates with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
UN Independent Commission of Inquiry (Gaza)
Matthew Offord Excerpts(8 years, 10 months ago)
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Dr Matthew Offord (Hendon) (Con)
It is a great pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Hollobone. I congratulate the hon. Member for Halifax (Holly Lynch) on securing this debate, but what a disappointment it has proven to be. We listened in silence to some of the views expressed by Opposition Members; it is greatly disappointing that some people could not do the same when my colleagues on the Government Benches made speeches.
We should bear in mind that the UN has a long history of criticising Israel, more than it has any other country in the world—so much so that many of us feel that its criticisms are no longer legitimate. In 2004, the UN General Assembly adopted 20 resolutions singling out Israel for criticism, but only three for the rest of the world combined. The Human Rights Council’s members include Qatar and Saudi Arabia—countries that perform human rights violations against their own people. We know that those things happen.
Only last year, the Prime Minister made three points about the UN. First, he wanted to see
“an end to the outrageous lectures on human rights that Israel receives at the United Nations from the likes of Iran and North Korea”.
I certainly agree with that. Secondly, he wanted.
“an end to the ridiculous situation where last year the United Nations General Assembly passed 3 times as many resolutions on Israel as on Syria, Iran and North Korea put together”.
Thirdly, he wanted to see.
“no more excuses for the 32 countries in the United Nations who refuse to recognise Israel”.
Israel has a right to exist. As my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow East (Bob Blackman) said, it is constantly under attack—that seems to be forgotten by the UN Human Rights Council and some Members here this afternoon. It is a great disappointment that we do not have more time to debate this issue, but I urge Members to listen to people from both sides of the situation. As my hon. Friend said, none of us rejoices in the deaths of any human being, but to claim that any country kills people as a result of the holocaust is not only despicable and disgusting, but disrespectful to the House.