Israel to resume cooperation with UN on human rights

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided to resume its cooperation with the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), after boycotting it for a year and a half. An Israeli official confirmed to Xinhua on condition of anonymity that Israeli delegates will attend a UNHCR hearing on Tuesday and end the boycott. The meeting on Tuesday will be a periodic review of human rights records at the various 193 member states of the United Nations. In 2012, then hawkish Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman ordered to halt cooperation with the council after it published its findings on how Israeli settlements were disruptive to Palestinians' lives and their rights. Israeli officials charged that the committee exhibited "anti- Israel" stances and that it is "biased." According to a report on the Ma'ariv daily on Monday, Netanyahu made his decision late on Sunday under the pressure of the United States, Canada and several European countries. Israel is currently at a tough spot diplomacy-wise, as the European Union decided that starting from January 2014, EU-based companies and governments would not cooperate with Israel if the agreement is to be applied in the West Bank and east Jerusalem. The international community condemns Israel's settlements in those territories, occupied by Israel during the 1967 Mideast War and set to be part of the future Palestinian state. In addition, Netanyahu is currently campaigning world leaders not to ease sanctions on Iran as diplomacy efforts are taking place between the parties, insisting the Iranians are trying to " buy time" to develop nuclear weapons which he says will be an existential threat to Israel. The Iranians, on their part, insist their nuclear capabilities are only for peaceful purposes.