Uyghur Muslims rounded up by Chinese authorities for transport to concentration camps. Photo: Twitter.

i24 News – Israel has refrained from signing on to a joint United Nations statement that expressed concern over Beijing’s treatment of its Muslim Uighur minority.

43 countries, including the United States, signed the statement, led by the French.

“We are particularly concerned about the situation in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region,” the statement said.

“Credible-based reports indicate the existence of a large network of ‘political re-education’ camps where over a million people have been arbitrarily detained.”

Israel’s Foreign Ministry told the the Times of Israel in a statement, “Israel expresses its concerns about the Uighurs in various diplomatic tracks.”

“One example of this was our signing onto the Canadian statement [on the Uighurs] in June at the Human Rights Council. Our position on the issue has not changed.”

The UN statement calls on China “to ensure full respect for the rule of law and to comply with its obligations under national and international law with regard to the protection of human rights.”

In June, Israel was among 41 countries at the Human Rights Council that implored China to allow “immediate, meaningful, and unfettered access” so independent observers can visit its Xinjiang region.

The decision to back the measure in June came after pressure from US President Joe Biden, according to Walla News.