U.N. official resigns, stands by Israel report

BEIRUT — The head of a United Nations agency that promotes development in Arab countries resigned Friday after refusing to withdraw a controversial report concluding that Israel has established an “apartheid regime” that discriminates against Palestinians.

The report titled “Israeli Practices Toward the Palestinian People and the Question of Apartheid,” which was published earlier this week by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, drew swift criticism from U.N. and Israeli officials.

Its authors concluded that “Israel has established an apartheid regime that systematically institutionalizes racial oppression and domination of the Palestinian people as a whole.”

Rima Khalaf, a Jordanian who heads Beirut-based ESCWA and is a U.N. undersecretary-general, announced her resignation at a hastily called press conference in the Lebanese capital, saying she couldn’t accept being subjected to pressure from U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to withdraw the report.

She described the report as “the first of its kind,” adding that it “concludes scientifically and according to international law that Israel has established an apartheid regime.”

Khalaf’s resignation was welcomed by Israel and the United States, Israel’s closest ally, but Palestinians praised the report and expressed regret.