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60 years on, Israel-bashing diminishes message of UN human rights council By Yossi Melman Tags: Israel News, Occupation  Even the chairman of the session could not keep silent. The Nigerian Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva called on participants to treat each other respectfully. His request was a direct response to the speech by the Iranian ambassador who, as is the custom of his government, called Israel "the Zionist entity," and not by its official name. The chairman's words were also meant to protest the fiery, if expected, speeches of the envoys from the Arab and Muslim countries who attacked Israel one after the other. The most prominent was the Yemeni ambassador, who called Israel's actions against the Palestinians the greatest atrocities in human history. No less. He had not heard about the Armenian genocide at the hands of the Turks, the Holocaust of the Jews, and the genocide in Rwanda, the horrors of the Balkan wars. He did not remember that 40 years ago, his own country had been attacked with chemical weapons by the Egyptian army. The occasion, last Thursday, was a meeting of the UN Human Rights Council. The discussion was being held close to the date the world will mark the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Out of the declaration grew a number of bureaucratic bodies to deal with this important issue, among them the Human Rights Commission and the Human Rights Council, established at the beginning of 2006. One of its most important instruments is the Universal Periodic Review: an accounting by each UN member of the status of human rights in its country: the attitude to ethnic minorities, religions, women, the gay community, freedom of the press, etc. Other countries respond and make suggestions for improvement. Advertisement Some in Israel thought that the issue of the territories should not be part of the review, since the matter comes up so often in other UN bodies, and that the focus should be on Israel within the Green Line. However, it was eventually decided that it would be improper not to mention the situation in the territories. Israel's representatives, headed by the ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Aharon Leshno-Ya'ar, told the council that Israel was living with terror and therefore some human rights are not absolute. Israel's representatives also said that the separation wall had proven itself efficient in preventing suicide bombers. They noted the large number of human rights groups operating in Israel; governmental, judicial, and non-governmental. Israel's representatives acknowledged there was room for improvement and pledged to seriously discuss the council's recommendations The democratic countries praised Israel's report, although they expressed reservations about certain issues, such as the situation of the Negev Bedouin. However, the blood of the Arabs and the Muslims was boiling. Their central recommendation was that Israel put an end to the "racist" occupation, as the Syrian representative expressed it. "The Human Rights Council is a political body," Leshno-Ya'ar told Haaretz. "We would like to learn from the experience of others in this issue, but we do not need the review process to remind us of the history in the territories. The recommendations of the Arab countries are political, and not only do they not advance the cause of human rights, they even do it harm." The Human Rights Council consists of 47 members, with an automatic majority of third-world countries, led by Pakistan, Algeria, Egypt and Cuba. The council appears to be making almost obsessive efforts to denounce homosexuality and stop texts that are critical of religions. The Western countries see these steps as attempts to deflect criticism from the serious human-rights situation in the other countries. The United States has decided not to continue its membership in the council. Related articles: UN forum: Israel systematically violating Palestinian human rights Peres at UN: World in danger if Iran produces nuclear bomb Iran blames Western intolerance for losing UN Security Council seat Bookmark to del.icio.us   Fighting hate online YouTube reaches out to the Anti-Defamation League for help in fighting hate clips. 'Camp Deheisheh' Two college students, Jewish and Muslim, practice peace in the West Bank refugee camp.   1.   `the greatest atrocity in human history` 06:09  |  Colin Wright 11/12/08   2.   response to #1 06:22  |  Jordan 11/12/08   3.   The UN Human Rights Council? 08:19  |  Jean Van Daem 11/12/08   4.   the Yemen representavive is guilty of a WILD exaggeration 08:41  |  Magnus K. 11/12/08   5.   Oh well 09:20  |  utagawa 11/12/08   6.   It`s A Complete Joke 10:58  |  Yosemite 11/12/08   7.   About time to create a real UN 12:38  |  CM 11/12/08   8.   Colin Wright Yes I do rebuff the charge 12:40  |  George 11/12/08   9.   Magnus #4 -you don`t know what you are talking about!! 12:57  |  Dr Eric 11/12/08   10.   Jordan #2, well written. 13:24  |  Rina 11/12/08   11.   Magnus, Colin.. Darfur? 14:49  |  Daniel 11/12/08   12.   To all muslims 15:16  |  Allon 11/12/08   13.   to daniel (11) 16:16  |  Magnus K. 11/12/08   14.   Magnus K 17:49  |  Allon 11/12/08   15.   The obvious hypocracy needs no further 17:49  |  TOMY 11/12/08   16.   Human Rights Council 18:13  |  Angel 11/12/08   17.   Magnus K . low intensity ??? 18:21  |  Charles 11/12/08   18.   To MAGNUS K - get a grip 03:18  |  goofy Jew 12/12/08   19.   UN Human Wrongs Council 03:25  |  goofy jew 12/12/08   20.   The UN Human Rights Council? 15:01  |  lady from USA 12/12/08   21.   un and human rights 06:16  |  Rab Burns 14/12/08   22.   democracies? 15:52  |  trut 14/12/08

Read & React Obama to base his Middle East policy on army of envoys Responses: 75 Madoff Wall Street fraud threatens Jewish philanthropy Responses: 69 Top Hamas leader to Haaretz: U.S. sanctions to blame for Gaza crisis Responses: 77 Police block right-wing march through Israeli Arab town fearing life-threatening violence Responses: 44 Hamas parades mock Gilad Shalit before crowd of thousands in Gaza Responses: 83 More Headlines 04:00 As truce nears end, Israel tells Hamas: We will respond to Gaza fire 03:00 ANALYSIS / Who wants to end the Hamas-Israel ceasefire? 20:23 Mazuz considers indicting Arab MK who met Hamas leaders in Syria 02:00 Palestinian prisoner release raises risk of renewed violence, says terror victims group 00:27 Iraqi reporter throws shoe at Bush during president's farewell visit to Baghdad 04:53 'There is no moderate Islam,' says far-right Dutch legislator Geert Wilders 03:40 Umm al-Fahm Mayor: Rightists will never march even a meter through our city 05:24 Jerusalem fire chief suspended over attempting to run a brothel 03:32 Gaza banks at risk of collapse unless Israel pumps more cash, diplomats warn 05:18 Despite lag in polls, Kadima recruiters hoping to capture ambitious number of seats 04:38 Hospital official: Serious faults led to new mother's death 03:18 Jerusalem mayor looks to bring Hollywood to the Holy City 03:34 VIDEO / Police suspect mob link after man's hacked corpse found in Petah Tikvah Previous Editions Select Day 14 dec 12 dec 11 dec 10 dec 09 dec 08 dec 07 dec 05 dec 04 dec 03 dec 02 dec 01 dec

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