Head of UN West Asia commission resigns over report on 'apartheid' Israel
The report accused Israel of imposing an 'apartheid regime' on Palestinians, the first time this charge has ever been levelled by a UN body
The head of the United Nation's West Asia commission, Rima Khalaf,resigned on Fridayafter what she described as pressure from the secretary general Antonio Guterres to withdraw a report accusing Israel of imposing an "apartheid regime" on Palestinians, Reuters reports.
The Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), which comprises 18 Arab states, published the report on Wednesday and said it was the first time a UNbody had clearly made the charge, Reuters reports.
They add that UNUnder-Secretary General and ESCWA Executive Secretary Rima Khalaf announced her resignation at a news conference in Beirut.
The Israeli news site Ynet newsreports that UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Wednesdaythat the report was published without consulting the UN secreteriat first.
They also report that Israel's foreign minister spokesman liekened the report to a Nazi propoganda publication, describing it as "despicable and a blatant lie", andadds that the US, a staunch Israeli ally, expressed outrage at the report.
(Reuters)