Israel eyes return to UN rights body after boycott

Berlin: Israel`s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva says his country may end its boycott of the UN`s top human rights forum. In a letter dated June 3, Eviatar Manor says he wants to engage the head of the UN Human Rights Council "with a view to positively resolve all outstanding issues in Israel`s complex relationship" with the 47-nation body.

The letter was released by the UN today. Israel stopped cooperating with the Human Rights Council last year, accusing it of being biased against the Jewish state because it regularly criticises Israel`s treatment of the Palestinians. The letter was sent before the council`s independent expert on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, Richard Falk, slammed Israel`s settlement policy in a report released yesterday. PTI