UN International Human Rights Day
December 4, 2023
Every year on December 10, the world marks International Human Rights Day. On this date 75 years ago, in 1948 and in the shadow of the Holocaust, the UN adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a document that recognizes the shared humanity and aspirations of all people.
This year, International Human Rights Day falls in the shadow of the worst attack against Jews since the Holocaust. More broadly, the October 7 massacre – which included rape, torture, dismembering and burning of corpses, and kidnapping – was the worst single-day atrocity since 9/11.
Unfortunately, the international human rights community has quickly forgotten about the Israeli, Jewish, and other victims of October 7. As opposed to their responses to other massive atrocities, human rights NGOs and UN agencies have barely condemned the massacre (some even celebrated it) and have not lobbied intensively on behalf of victims – especially the hostages.
Where are the campaigns about skyrocketing antisemitism and physical violence against Jews? The rampant incitement on university campuses, in public spaces, and online? The dehumanization of Jews and atrocity denial, both manifest in tearing down posters of hostages.
On their social media accounts, the NGOs’ and UN’s disproportionate focus has been on Gaza – often to the exclusion of the Jewish experience.
In the wake of October 7, the international human rights community has to do serious soul searching and reevaluating its priorities and relationship to Jewish people and communities. They must start taking antisemitism seriously, just like any other form of hateful discrimination or racism, and devote meaningful attention to combating it. For some NGOs and UN agencies, this also means confronting their owns role in creating a hostile environment for Jews.
On International Human Rights Day, we say: #JewsHaveHumanRightsToo,
#JewsAreHumanToo #StandUp4HumanRights
Email to: ohchr-media@un.org; ohchr-InfoDesk@un.org; ohchr-civilsociety@un.org ;ohchr-unvfvt@un.org
Subject: International Human Rights Day
Your Excellency, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk,
In anticipation of this year's International Human Rights Day, we, members of the Jewish community, are writing to you to ask for the full implementation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed and adopted in the shadow of the Holocaust. This year, we stand in the shadow of the worst attack against Jews since the Holocaust. The October 7 massacre – which included rape, torture, dismembering and burning of corpses, and kidnapping – was also the worst single-day atrocity since 9/11.
Unfortunately, the international human rights community has largely ignored the Israeli, Jewish, and other victims of October 7. As opposed to their responses to massive atrocities elsewhere, human rights NGOs and UN agencies, including your own, have barely condemned the massacre (some even celebrated it) and have refused to lobby on behalf of the victims – especially the hostages, who include a 10-month old baby, a four-year old boy, people with severe injuries, and many young women who suffered sexual assault and rape.
Hamas is currently depriving Jewish, Israeli, and foreign national hostages of the fundamental rights delineated in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 5 stipulates, “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment,” and Article 9 states, “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.” Article 25 emphasizes “Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.” These acts also constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.
However, since October 7, your office has only issued a single press release expressing sympathy for Israeli hostages being held illegally in Gaza. Meanwhile, you and your office have issued at least 17 statements on the different elements of the dire situation people in Gaza are facing.
Moreover, UN human rights agencies and “experts” have blatantly ignored or even denied sexual and gender based violence committed by Hamas. The only statement to be issued by UN Women referring to these atrocities came on November 20, nearly two months after the attacks, and only at the very end of a diatribe focused on “atrocities” and “genocide” and “torture” by Israel. Worse yet, the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls cast aspersions on “sexual violence that may have occurred… against Israelis and Palestinians” (emphasis added). Hamas filmed their crimes, and the proof is easily accessible to all. Such refusal to believe women and witnesses of sexual crimes would not be tolerated if the victims were anyone other than Israelis and Jews. Such atrocity denial cannot be countenanced and allowed to stand by you and your office.
Your excellency, in the wake of October 7, we call on you to vigorously condemn the Hamas massacre. We urge you to take actionable measures to hold Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups accountable for the blatant violations of international human rights and humanitarian law it perpetrated on October 7, and continues to inflict by launching thousands of rockets on Israeli population centers, and by keeping more than 150 people hostage.
We ask you and your office to condemn, without equivocation, the horrific wave of Jew hatred and violence across the globe that has followed October 7. To that end, we strongly urge you to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism and to adopt a comprehensive and meaningful strategy on combating antisemitism to be implemented immediately. We also call on your office to create a day of commemoration for the victims.
On International Human Rights Day, we demand your office and the UN reaffirm the universality of human rights. The lives and rights of Jewish and Israeli victims matter too.
Signed,
In anticipation of the 75th UN Human Rights Day (Dec. 10), the UN has created custom frames and is encouraging people to add their pictures to #StandUp4HumanRights. Add the faces of Israeli victims to their global campaign to give Jewish and Israeli victims a voice. (Hold up a picture of the hostage to the camera)! #
On October 7, 2023 (which was the Sabbath and a Jewish holiday), hundreds of Palestinian terrorists poured across the border from Gaza into Israel, slaughtering hundreds of Jews, and torturing, maiming, and kidnapping others. Gaza Palestinians also engaged in public desecration of victims’ bodies. In parallel, thousands of rockets were fired at Israeli population centers, sending millions rushing to shelters.
Every one of these attacks constitutes a blatant violation of international humanitarian and human rights laws.
Click here to read our research on reactions from NGOs
