State of Palestine against Israel: UN Committee sets up ad hoc Conciliation Commission

GENEVA (17 February 2022) — The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has set up an ad hoc Conciliation Commission which will offer its good offices to both the State of Palestine and Israel with a view to resolving the dispute over allegations of racial discrimination amicably.

Both Israel and the State of Palestine are parties to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which allows States to complain to the Committee about alleged violations of the treaty by another State party, in accordance with Article 11.

A Conciliation Commission was set up in accordance with article 12(1) b of the Convention, and is composed of five human rights experts from the Committee. They are Verene Shepherd, Gün Kut, Pansy Tlakula, Chinsung Chung and Michał Balcerzak. The appointees are independent of any government or organization and serve in their individual capacities. 

The Conciliation Commission held two online preparatory meetings on 19 January and 10 February this year, during which it adopted its Rules of Procedure and elected Gün Kut as its Chair.

The Conciliation Commission will review information and evidence, and prepare a report highlighting its findings and recommendations for the amicable solution of the dispute.

Documents concerning the case of the State of Palestine against Israel are available online.