In policy shift, Israel joins US-led UN statement condemning China over human rights abuses

Netanyahu and Xi meeting in Beijing, 2017 (Photo: Gettyimages)

Marking a break from its cautious stance toward Beijing, Israel signs joint declaration with 14 countries denouncing China's treatment of Uyghurs and other minorities; move seen as signal of closer alignment with Washington amid rising tensions with China

Itamar Eichner|

Ynet Global

In a rare move, Israel has joined a U.S.-led joint statement at the United Nations condemning China for human rights violations — marking a shift in Jerusalem’s traditionally cautious stance toward Beijing.

The statement, published November 21 by the U.S. mission to the UN, was signed by 15 countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Japan and, for the first time, Israel. The countries expressed “ongoing deep concerns” over human rights abuses in China, with a focus on targeted repression of ethnic and religious minorities.

“Credible reports indicate the persistent use of arbitrary detention, forced labor, unlawful or arbitrary uses of mass surveillance, and restrictions on religious and cultural expression in China,” the statement reads. It highlights the treatment of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities, Christians, Tibetans and Falun Gong practitioners, citing reports of torture, forced separation of children from families and destruction of cultural heritage.

The signatories also voiced alarm over the erosion of civil liberties and the rule of law in Hong Kong, including the extraterritorial application of arrest warrants and financial penalties against activists abroad. “Online and offline, state censorship and surveillance are used to control information, limit public discourse, and punish those who challenge official narratives,” the statement says, warning that such practices create a “climate of fear” aimed at silencing dissent.

The declaration calls on the People’s Republic of China to release “all those unjustly detained for simply exercising their human rights and fundamental freedoms” and to uphold its obligations under international law.

Participating nations — including Albania, Australia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Israel, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Palau, Paraguay, San Marino, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States — urged other UN member states to press China on credible reports of abuses and to support accountability measures. “These actions erode trust and are in direct contradiction to the very principles that sustain global stability and human progress,” the statement said.
 
Israel’s decision to sign the statement represents a notable departure from its usual policy of avoiding such declarations — largely out of diplomatic and economic considerations. China is a key trade partner for Israel, with major investments in technology and infrastructure. In October 2021, for example, Israel refrained from signing a similar statement regarding the Uyghurs, citing broader strategic interests.
 
While Israel has occasionally joined prior statements on China under American pressure — including a 2021 Canadian-led declaration at the UN Human Rights Council — such instances have been rare. The move marks the first time since 2021 that Israel has joined a broad multilateral initiative against China at the UN, signaling what some analysts view as a tilt toward Washington amid growing tensions with Beijing.