On the contrary, rather than expose the Council and its anti-Jewish agenda, one of President Obama’s first foreign policy moves was a decision to pay for it. Hence, American taxpayers will pay 22 percent of the cost for this speech to be permanently posted on the UN website, translated, and broadcast around the world. There is a reason that none of the members of the UN Human Rights Council thought this statement was sufficiently repulsive or shocking to complain. The blood libel against the Jewish people is a calling card of UN proceedings, with UN members usually casting their anti-Semitism as vicious anti-Israel attacks. For instance, last week’s Council debate over the attempt by Turkish-backed extremists to break the Israeli blockade of Hamas-controlled Gaza included the following outbursts. Along with references to Israel’s desire for “bloodshed,” came Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua’s accusation that “the Zionist regime” conducted an “indescribable” and “brutal massacre.” Pakistan said Israel committed “crimes against humanity,” Algeria described Israelis as “butchers,” and Libya distributed a statement entitled “The Massacre Committed by the Zionist Entity Forces.” The UN Human Rights Council has a webpage for all those who follow its proceedings. Although it is now in the midst of its fourteenth session, and has thousands of videos from its many meetings since 2006, smack in the middle of its home page is only one video link. It reads: “Human Rights Council 12th session Highlights,” and has a photo of Richard Goldstone. He is speaking about his libelous 2009 report that claimed Israel deliberately intended to murder civilians in the 2009 Gaza war rather than defend itself against eight years of rocket attacks. In the chair during the Syrian statement today was Council President Alex Van Meeuwen of Belgium, who also said nothing, though he has no trouble finding his voice when it comes to objecting to statements from Israel or other states and NGOs which refer to less popular subjects. Today, following this statement by Canadian representative Jeffrey Heaton – “Canada condemns the lack of respect of the Burmese regime for human rights and fundamental freedoms of its population” – Van Meeuwen responded: “before moving to the next speaker, I would like to ask once again all speakers to refrain from using words such as regime in reference to member states and uphold to UN standards when referring to countries.” In February, after Israeli Ambassador Aharon Leshno-Yaar called upon Iranian leaders to cease denying the Holocaust, Van Meeuwen exceptionally intervened in the debate to chide: “I would like to remind all speakers of the importance to deal with human rights issues with dignity and respect and to and to adhere to the well-established principles of the United Nations.” But when it came to dehumanizing Israeli children, Van Meeuwen had only two words to say: “Thank you.” There are no more excuses for President Obama to pretend that there is a greater good in lending American credibility to an international vehicle for anti-Semitism. It is time to leave the UN Human Rights Council and to ensure that not a single U.S. dollar is used to encourage its sickening agenda. Anne Bayefsky is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and director of the Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust. UN Human Rights Council, Agenda Item 4 Syrian Arab Republic, First Secretary Rania Al Rifaiy [The council president, who previously chastised UN Watch for criticizing the Goldstone Report, Mr. President,“Israel…is a state that is built on hatred…Let me quote a song that a group of children on a school bus in Israel sing merrily as they go to school and I quote 'With my teeth I will rip your flesh. With my mouth I will suck your blood.'"
There is a reason that none of the members of the UN Human Rights Council thought this statement was sufficiently repulsive or shocking to complain. The blood libel against the Jewish people is a calling card of UN proceedings, with UN members usually casting their anti-Semitism as vicious anti-Israel attacks. For instance, last week’s Council debate over the attempt by Turkish-backed extremists to break the Israeli blockade of Hamas-controlled Gaza included the following outbursts. Along with references to Israel’s desire for “bloodshed,” came Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua’s accusation that “the Zionist regime” conducted an “indescribable” and “brutal massacre.” Pakistan said Israel committed “crimes against humanity,” Algeria described Israelis as “butchers,” and Libya distributed a statement entitled “The Massacre Committed by the Zionist Entity Forces.”
In the chair during the Syrian statement today was Council President Alex Van Meeuwen of Belgium, who also said nothing, though he has no trouble finding his voice when it comes to objecting to statements from Israel or other states and NGOs which refer to less popular subjects. Today, following this statement by Canadian representative Jeffrey Heaton – “Canada condemns the lack of respect of the Burmese regime for human rights and fundamental freedoms of its population” – Van Meeuwen responded: “before moving to the next speaker, I would like to ask once again all speakers to refrain from using words such as regime in reference to member states and uphold to UN standards when referring to countries.”
UN Watch Briefing: Video of U.N. Debate
News and Analysis from UN Watch in Geneva Vol. 238 | June 11, 2010 United Nations Testimony: UN Watch’s Hillel Neuer Confronts Syria over Blood Libel
Click Here to Watch Video
(with optional French & Hebrew subtitles)
Debate on "Human Rights Situations Requiring
the Council's Attention," June 8-9, 2010
[... Israel] is a state that is built on hatred, discrimination, oppression and a paranoid feeling of superiority. Hatred is widespread, taught to even small children, who are taught to use weapons, and who are taught to sign missiles that will be fired at Arabs.
Let me quote a song that a group of children on a school bus in Israel sing merrily as they go to school. And I quote “With my teeth I will rip your flesh. With my mouth I will suck your blood.”
The Israeli systematic violations of human rights and illegitimate occupation has destabilized the whole region, bringing it to the brink of war on so many occasions. We appeal to the international community to put an end to the Israeli impunity and to their extreme, extremely brutal policies inside and outside occupied arab territories.
Thank you, Mr. President.
UN Human Rights Council President, Amb. Alex Van Meeuwen of Belgium): Thank you.
failed to reprimand the Syrian delegate. Country delegations also remained silent. UN Watch then took the floor.]
UN Watch, Executive Director Hillel Neuer
Sunday, 13 June 2010
Obama silent as Syrian rep spouts blood libel at 'Human Rights Council'
The Obama administration's representative sat in silence at the UN 'Human Rights Council' in Geneva on Tuesday as the Syrian representative, First Secretary Rania Al Rifaiy, espoused the following blood libel (Hat Tip: Memeorandum).
The representative of the Obama administration, which will pay 22% of the cost of having that statement permanently posted on the UN website, translated, and broadcast around the world (yes, that's the cost of joining the 'Human Rights Council'), had nothing to say in response. Anne Bayefsky comments:
But it's not just the Arab and Muslim world and Latin American countries that espouse these lies about Israel and that treat Israel differently than anyone else.
And the Obama administration remains silent.
How can anyone expect Israel to 'take risks for peace' when it is treated this way in World forums? Between this sort of treatment and the blood libels espoused by the 'Palestinian' media (both Fatah's and Hamas') it should come as little surprise to anyone that the 'peace process' is dead.
Syrian Rep Promotes Blood Libel at UN Human Rights Council
And the U.S. stays silent.
Anne Bayefsky June 8, 2010
Meeting today in Geneva, the UN Human Rights Council heard the following statement from the Syrian representative, First Secretary Rania Al Rifaiy: “Israel…is a state that is built on hatred…Let me quote a song that a group of children on a school bus in Israel sing merrily as they go to school and I quote 'With my teeth I will rip your flesh. With my mouth I will suck your blood.'" The Obama administration chose to join this Council, the UN’s lead human rights body, and its representative was present. But they said nothing after hearing this blood libel.
New Video from UN Debate: UN Watch Blasts Syria for Anti-Semitic Blood Libel
We had prepared a speech on violations the world over. Instead, I am obliged to address a human rights violation that occurred here, in this chamber.
I am referring to remarks that violate the anti-racism prohibition of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
I am referring to the Syrian statement falsely accusing Israel of being a state that is not only “built on hatred… and a paranoid feeling of superiority,” but also one that glorifies the ripping of flesh and the sucking of blood.
Mr. President,
This crude and coded language echoes the libel voiced by Syria on 8 February 1991 at the UN Commission on Human Rights, when its delegate accused Jews of killing Christians to use their blood, citing from the book “Matzo of Zion” by former Syrian Defense Minister Mustafa Tlas. That speech was officially condemned at the time by 29 countries.
We remind Syria that the EUMC working definition of Anti-Semitism includes, “Using the symbols and images associated with classic Anti-Semitism, e.g. [the] blood libel, to characterize Israel or Israelis.”
Mr. President,
Yesterday’s patently false and hateful remarks are historical incitements to prejudice and violence. They have no place in the United Nations, and we call on all stakeholders to condemn them.
Sadly, these words did not arise in a vacuum. For last week, during this council’s urgent debate on the flotilla, we heard similar motifs as Israel was speciously depicted as an attacker of innocent humanitarians—when in truth it was defending itself from violent Jihadists bent on martyrdom.
Once again, Israel was singled out by those seeking to delegitimize it. A resolution was adopted condemning Israel, creating yet another investigation where the guilty verdict was declared in advance.
Tellingly, many accused the Jewish state of being “inhuman,” including Pakistan for the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and Nicaragua.
Mr. President,
Word is father to deed. History teaches that when nations turn to dehumanization and demonization, the world remains silent at its peril.
Thank you, Mr. President.
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