UN’s Palestinian rights envoy quits over ‘lack of access’

“The UN expert on the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territories resigned Monday, complaining that Israel had never granted him access to areas he is meant to monitor.”

The UN expert on the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territories resigned Monday, complaining that Israel had never granted him access to areas he is meant to monitor.

“The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, Makarim Wibisono, today submitted his resignation to the President of the Human Rights Council, effective as of 31 March 2016,” a UN statement said.

Wibisono, who took up the independent role in June 2014, “expressed deep regret that, throughout his mandate, Israel failed to grant him access to the Occupied Palestinian Territory”, it said.

“Unfortunately, my efforts to help improve the lives of Palestinian victims of violations under the Israeli occupation have been frustrated every step of the way,” Wibisono said in the statement.

The Indonesian diplomat said he had been assured before taking up the position that he would have access to the occupied Palestinian territories.

“I took up this mandate with the understanding that Israel would grant me access, as an impartial and objective observer,” he said.

Mohsen Ayman

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