We are all concerned about human rights these days, aren't we? Human rights are universal, aren't they? The United Nations seem to think so. Lots of governments signed its Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Some seemed to think that was quite far enough to go. Others, like Israel did not commit. This political decision accords well with their real policies in the rights field. Ethnic Cleansing is just one of them. Then there are their Crimes against peace, War crimes & Crimes against humanity:
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) - declaration of United Nations, successor of the League of Nations
Adoption:
The Universal Declaration was adopted by the General Assembly on 10 December 1948 by a vote of 48 in favor, 0 against, with 8 abstentions (all the Soviet Bloc states, Byelorussia, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Ukraine, USSR, as well as Yugoslavia, South Africa and Saudi Arabia).The following countries voted in favor of the Declaration: Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Thailand, Sweden, Syria, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay and Venezuela.
Despite the central role played by Canadian John Humphrey, the Canadian Government at first abstained from voting on the Declaration's draft, but later voted in favour of the final draft in the General Assembly.