COP condemns WHO’s anti- Israel stance

conference of presidents logoNEW YORK (Press Release)– The leadership of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations (COP) on Friday, May 27, denounced the World Health Organization adoption of a one sided resolution which falsely accuses Israel of actions which prevent proper medical care for Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza.  The resolution was based on reports submitted by the UN body’s Secretariat and UNRWA to the governing body of the organization at its annual General Assembly.  The resolution was adopted by a vote of 107 in favor including all of the European Union countries.  The eight votes against were led once again by the U.S. joined by Canada, Australia, Paraguay, Guatemala, Micronesia and Papua New Guinea.  There were six abstentions and 58 countries did not vote.
Stephen M. Greenberg, chairman, and Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman, said:

“The unjust and irresponsible resolution adopted by the World Health Organization, based on concocted allegations against Israel, continues the tide of anti-Israel venom flowing from various United Nations bodies.

“Each and every day Israel demonstrates its commitment to providing state of the art medical treatment to those in need in Israel and the territories, and beyond Israel’s borders.  Israel often puts the safety of its own medical personnel at risk to save the lives of those being butchered in the devastating war in Syria and opens its hospitals to treat Palestinian children, women and men from Gaza and the West Bank, including Hamas leaders’ family members, with the same care it gives to Israelis.
“Israel has become renowned for its immediate responses to tragedies and disasters, providing doctors, medical supplies and even temporary field hospitals from Haiti to Nepal.
“This resolution by the United Nations World Health Organization governing body shamelessly disregards the well-known facts regarding Israel’s delivery of high quality life-saving medical treatment to all in need, while failing to address the lack of access to medical supplies and treatment for the victims of full scale humanitarian disasters in Syria and other conflict zones.
“The UN World Health Organization, like so many other UN bodies, has succumbed to the distortions and falsehoods presented by the Palestinians and capitulated to their political manipulation of the organization.
“The European Union’s complicity with this latest example of the Palestinian campaign to enlist the UN in scapegoating Israel is appalling.  We are surprised and disappointed that France, Germany and Great Britain among others in Europe acquiesced to the unwarranted support of the resolution.”

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