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Last update - 04:10 05/07/2008
Israel lobbies UN as Ban mulls appointment of new human rights chief
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent, and The Associated Press
Tags: Israel, Louise Arbour 

Officials in Jerusalem are anxiously anticipating the United Nations' upcoming appointment of a new human rights commissioner to replace Louise Arbour, the Canadian jurist and former Supreme Court judge who stepped down earlier this week.

As UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon interviews prospective candidates, Israeli officials are attempting to exert their influence in the hopes the world body taps a figure whom Jerusalem perceives as non-hostile.

Two candidates in particular are worrisome from Israel's standpoint - Luis Alfonso de Alba, a Mexican diplomat who has expressed anti-Israel views in years past; and the Swiss foreign minister, Micheline Calmy-Rey, who aroused Jerusalem's ire after paying an official visit to Iran earlier this year.
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Despite past differences of opinion on a host of issues, Israeli officials have conducted an open, continuous dialogue with Arbour during the last three years of her tenure. The high point of the relationship came two years ago, when Arbour visited Sderot and declared Palestinian firing of Qassam rockets as a war crime. During her stay, Arbour witnessed first hand a Qassam directly strike a factory in the city.

East Timor's president said last week he would not take a new job as the UN human rights commissioner, citing possible political instability in his fledgling democracy.

Jose Ramos-Horta told political leaders last week he had already accepted the job, but explained in the capital, Dili, that he had changed his mind.

Ban said last week that he had spoken to several candidates to replace Arbour.

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      1.   The prerequisites for a un `human rights commissioner` 04:30  |  Arie 05/07/08
      2.   LOOK no more, ISrael, no one will bail you out 05:00  |  ahmad abouali 05/07/08
      3.   Human Rights Commissioner Is a UN Discredited Job 05:09  |  Joseph.E 05/07/08
      4.   UN chooses an Israeli candidate!! 05:48  |  Jeremy 05/07/08
      5.   The criticism may be silenced , but it won`t disappear 06:32  |  Natallie Durson 05/07/08
      6.   we must fight evil and evil people everwhere but realize we will 06:49  |  ralph 05/07/08
      7.   Jerusalem anxious? 06:52  |  David James Vickery 05/07/08
      8.   #5 Typical UN - focus on Israel while ignoring China, Russia, etc 06:57  |  DesMnsDave 05/07/08
      9.   Smelly Arbour was a champion of Islamic fascists 07:11  |  troof 05/07/08
      10.   The hell w. Sudan genocides, Zimbabwe starvation, Tibet, Chechnya 08:19  |  Genuine Tosefta 05/07/08
      11.   DesMnsDave - Thanks for proving my point 08:25  |  Natallie Durson 05/07/08
      12.   You got it right #2, Israel left no choice but to nuke Iran 08:25  |  Genuine Tosefta 05/07/08
      13.   This just goes to show you... 08:25  |  yezmar 05/07/08
      14.   The UN Human Rights Council? 08:37  |  Jean Van Daem 05/07/08
      15.   Nutty is nutty as usual but criticism does disappear 09:23  |  Genuine Tosefta 05/07/08
      16.   Nutty is nutty as usual but criticism does disappear 09:31  |  Genuine Tosefta 05/07/08
      17.   A commissioner who is not afraid of Arab and Leftist pressure 10:01  |  AA 05/07/08
      18.   Israel play Tango and the world have to dance? 10:32  |  Dav 05/07/08
      19.   If it is anti-Israel, all HR violators will be happily ignored 10:48  |  Alain 05/07/08
      20.   Simple 11:22  |  Sylvie 05/07/08
      21.   Israel will not accept 11:32  |  Stella Westwell 05/07/08
      22.   lobby 11:35  |  marsally 05/07/08
      23.   the simple solution is to pro rata time for comment 11:58  |  victor hardman 05/07/08
      24.   Israel plays what it needs to survive, UN is made deaf and blind 12:01  |  Genuine Tosefta 05/07/08
      25.   #2 Ahmad arab 12:06  |  Gregor 05/07/08
      26.   for the record Nutallie 12:18  |  Gregor 05/07/08
      27.   Durson, what`s your point? 12:30  |  Joe Sittizen 05/07/08
      28.   I got a suggestion 12:59  |  RM 05/07/08
      29.   Natalie- hypocrite of 2008!!!! 13:27  |  jem 05/07/08
      30.   Joe Sittizen The usual rhetorical questions mixed with nonsense 13:37  |  Natallie Durson 05/07/08
      31.   Gregor - Thanks for asking 13:46  |  Natallie Durson 05/07/08
      32.   Be brave and face facts. This is the road to self respect 14:15  |  Natallie Durson 05/07/08
      33.   The Human Rights Council. 15:29  |  Jean Van Daem 05/07/08
      34.   Muslims have more rights in Israel then in Arab lands 16:34  |  Great White North 05/07/08
      35.   LA and CA have worse human rights issues than Israel, so does... 16:39  |  r 05/07/08
      36.   Natallie 17:36  |  UN worker 05/07/08
      37.   Preventing Even-handed Appointments 17:47  |  Doubleclick 05/07/08
      38.   Never elect anyone who gives Israel a free ride 17:53  |  Dutch 05/07/08
      39.   Based on the UN record denying human righs is not illegal 17:55  |  Margaret Connell 05/07/08
      40.   Israel is a special case 17:57  |  Natallie Durson 05/07/08
      41.   Lysiene Gagnon Leading Canadian Journalist commented on Arbour 18:01  |  Max the Horoscope 05/07/08
      42.   #5 - Investigating Human Rights Abuses 18:03  |  Doubleclick 05/07/08
      43.   The HR Council is a sideshow 18:10  |  Margaret Connell 05/07/08
      44.   #24 Funny that Israel has taken in more Darfur refugees than most 19:12  |  DesMnsDave 05/07/08
      45.   Natallie Durson, the regular avoidance of the question 19:41  |  Joe Sittizen 05/07/08
      46.   Studying up on the UNHRC - an interesting read 19:48  |  Joe Sittizen 05/07/08
      47.   Southern California 19:48  |  Absolute Israel 05/07/08
      48.   Natallie - some food for thought 19:50  |  Rador 05/07/08
      49.   Sylvie @#14 19:51  |  Absolute Israel 05/07/08
      50.   respone UN worker 20:00  |  Elmo 05/07/08
      51.   Israel lobbies UN 20:10  |  Tired American 05/07/08
      52.   `Anti-Israel` = someone committed to human rights 21:13  |  peacelover 05/07/08
      53.   What??? 21:14  |  William 05/07/08
      54.   Joe Sittizen, Israel`s HR record... 21:24  |  Dutch 05/07/08
      55.   Hei LOL, Duch 23:10  |  Gemma 05/07/08
      56.   Natallie 23:11  |  Marco P 05/07/08
      57.   Natalie - Selective Indignation Admitted 23:13  |  Reid 05/07/08
      58.   Joe Sittizen re Natallie 23:14  |  Marco P 05/07/08
      59.   fixation on Israel 23:16  |  Gregor 05/07/08
      60.   Elmo 23:31  |  UN worker 05/07/08
      61.   ahmad 00:26  |  joseph b 06/07/08
      62.   Natallie - Thank you 02:05  |  Likudnik 06/07/08
      63.   UN does nothing to israel, rights site displays nothing 04:30  |  yes 06/07/08
      64.   And since when is it ok to lobby a human rights organization? 04:32  |  yes 06/07/08
      65.   All Muslim countries receive free ride at UN, why not Israel? 13:37  |  Genuine Tosefta 06/07/08
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