Israel signs statement against China's treatment of Uyghurs at UNHRC

Israel joined a 47-country bloc that denounced China's forced imprisonment of Uyghur Muslims at the United Nation's Human Rights Council on Tuesday.

"We continue to be gravely concerned about the human rights situation in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region," said Dutch Ambassador Paul Bekkers as he read out the statement during the second day of the UNHRCC's 50th session in Geneva.

It's the second year in a row that Israeli has signed onto such a statement. Last year, the initiative to highlight China's human rights abuses was led by Canada, with the support of the United States and many European countries. This year it was spearheaded by the Netherlands. Israel, however, declined to sign a similar statement read out in the fall at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. read more