Pompeo: UN blacklist shows its ‘unrelenting anti-Israeli bias’

"Attempts to isolate Israel run counter to all of our efforts to build conditions conducive to Israeli-Palestinian negotiations that lead to a comprehensive and enduring peace."

FEBRUARY 13, 2020 18:40

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo addresses a news conference in the Press Briefing Room at the State Department in Washington, U.S., January 7, 2020 (photo credit: REUTERS/TOM BRENNER) — U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo addresses a news conference in the Press Briefing Room at the State Department in Washington, U.S., January 7, 2020

(photo credit: REUTERS/TOM BRENNER)

WASHINGTON - Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, slammed the High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Thursday for releasing the database of companies operating in Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Pompeo said in a statement that he is "outraged" by the decision.

"The United States has long opposed the creation or release of this database, which was mandated by the discredited UN Human Rights Council in 2016," he added. "Its publication only confirms the unrelenting anti-Israel bias so prevalent at the United Nations."

He said that the US has not provided "and will never provide any information to the Office of the High Commissioner to support compilation of these lists and expresses support for US companies referenced."

The U.S. has not and will never provide any information to support the compilation of these lists. We call on @UN member states to join us in rejecting this effort. Attempts to isolate #Israel damage momentum toward Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) February 13, 2020

He also called other UN members to join the US "in rejecting this effort, which facilitates the discriminatory boycott, divestment, and sanction (BDS) campaign and delegitimizes Israel."

"Attempts to isolate Israel run counter to all of our efforts to build conditions conducive to Israeli-Palestinian negotiations that lead to a comprehensive and enduring peace," Secretary Pompeo concluded.

US Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, tweeted that the decision to release the database is "yet another stain on the already blemished record of the United Nations’ reflexive bias against Israel."

Yet another stain on the already blemished record of the United Nations’ reflexive bias against Israel. Commissioner Bachelet, if your focus is truly advancing human rights, you have gotten this exactly wrong! https://t.co/Je6vLOkazC
— David M. Friedman (@USAmbIsrael) February 13, 2020