III 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 862 

Calling for the dissolution of the biased United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, 

including East Jerusalem, and Israel. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 7, 2022 

Mr. CARDIN (for himself and Mr. HAGERTY) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Calling for the dissolution of the biased United Nations 

Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the 

Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel. 

Whereas, shortly after the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in May 

2021, the United Nations Human Rights Council 

(UNHRC) launched an open-ended investigation into the 

actions of Israel during the conflict; 

Whereas the investigation, which serves to discredit the only 

Jewish state, is likely to further fuel anti-Semitism 

worldwide; 

Whereas the mandate of the United Nations Independent 

International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied 

Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and 


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•SRES 862 IS 

Israel (referred to in this preamble as the ‘‘Commission’’) 

is to investigate in the West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem, and Israel all alleged violations of international 

humanitarian law and all alleged violations and abuses of 

international human rights law leading up to and since 

April 13, 2021; 

Whereas the creation of the Commission is consistent with 

the continued bias of the UNHRC against Israel and the 

disproportionate use of resources in an ongoing campaign 

to disparage, discredit, and denounce Israel; 

Whereas, on October 16, 2021, after the United States was 

reelected to the UNHRC, Secretary of State Antony 

Blinken stated that the UNHRC ‘‘suffers from serious 

flaws, including disproportionate attention on Israel’’ and 

that the United States and other countries ‘‘must push 

back against attempts to subvert the ideals upon which 

the Human Rights Council was founded’’; 

Whereas, on March 28, 2022, Senator Cardin and Senator 

Portman led a bipartisan group of 68 Senators in a letter 

urging the Biden administration to prioritize reversing 

the discriminatory and unwarranted treatment of Israel 

by the UNHRC by leading a multinational effort in the 

UNHRC and in the United Nations to end the Commission; 

Whereas the Commission released a report on June 7, 2022, 

stating that ‘‘the continued occupation by Israel of Palestinian territory and discrimination against Palestinians 

are the key root causes of the recurrent tensions, instability and protraction of conflict in the region’’; 

Whereas the report was presented at the 50th session of the 

UNHRC on June 13, 2022, and concluded by stating 


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that the Commission will conduct investigations and legal 

analysis into alleged violations and abuses by Israel and 

will work with judicial accountability mechanisms toward 

ensuring individual, state, and corporate accountability; 

Whereas, on October 20, 2022, the Commission released a report to the United Nations General Assembly, stating 

that ‘‘Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory is now 

unlawful under international law due to its permanence 

and the Israeli Government’s de-facto annexation policies’’ and urged that the issue to be referred to the International Court of Justice; 

Whereas, on November 11, 2022, the United Nations General 

Assembly Fourth Committee voted by a margin of 98 in 

favor, 17 opposed, and 52 abstentions to urgently seek an 

advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice 

on the ‘‘prolonged occupation, settlement and annexation 

of Palestinian territory’’ by Israel; and 

Whereas one-sided reporting by the Commission continues to 

attack Israel, while ignoring the continued violence committed by Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist groups: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) calls for the Secretary of State to continue 

3 to work robustly toward the dissolution of the biased 

4 United Nations Independent International Commis5 sion of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Terri6 tory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel (referred 

7 to in this resolution as the ‘‘Commission’’) to allow 

8 the United Nations Human Rights Council to focus 


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1 on the many situations around the world that war2 rant a thorough and even-handed examination; 

3 (2) supports efforts by the Secretary of State to 

4 continue to reduce the budget of the Commission 

5 until it is eliminated; 

6 (3) believes that eliminating the Commission is 

7 an opportunity to fulfill the pledge made at the 76th 

8 session of the United Nations General Assembly 

9 Fifth Committee by Ambassador Patrick F. Ken10 nedy that ‘‘the U.S. stands with Israel in rejecting 

11 the unprecedented open-ended mandate of this Com12 mission of Inquiry, which perpetuates a practice of 

13 unfairly singling out Israel in the U.N.’’; and 

14 (4) opposes the persistent anti-Israel bias of the 

15 United Nations Human Rights Council and other 

16 international organizations. 

Æ 


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