U.N. Human Rights Council to probe Israeli settlements-Israel doesn't want this

March 22, 2012 3:13 PM

Israel condemns UN settlement probe

JERUSALEM — Israel's prime minister has rejected a vote by a U.N. body to send a team to investigate Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

Benjamin Netanyahu issued his statement Thursday after the U.N. Human Rights Council voted for the inquiry.

"This is a hypocritical council with an automatic majority against Israel," Netanyahu said. "This council ought to be ashamed of itself. Until today, the council has made 91 decisions, 39 of which dealt with Israel, three with Syria and one with Iran," he said.

On Thursday the council approved four other resolutions critical of Israel.

Some 300,000 Israelis live in settlements in the West Bank, an area Palestinians claim as part of a state. Israel says the issue must be resolved in peace talks.