UN Investigator Stands by Israel-Nazi Comparison
BBC | 09.04.2008 00:20 | Anti-racism | World
There should be no special exception for Israel when it comes to the human rights of Palestinians, period, end of discussion.
What Professor Falk is doing is merely stating the obvious, and that's what has Israeli officials cringing and sputtering.
And if Israel bars Falk from assuming his Human Rights Investigator post, Israel should be thrown out of the UN.
What Professor Falk is doing is merely stating the obvious, and that's what has Israeli officials cringing and sputtering.
And if Israel bars Falk from assuming his Human Rights Investigator post, Israel should be thrown out of the UN.
UN expert stands by Nazi comments
By Tim Franks
BBC Middle East correspondent
Falk believes that Israel has been avoiding criticism
The next UN investigator into Israeli conduct in the occupied territories has stood by comments comparing Israeli actions in Gaza to those of the Nazis.
(The Zionist Extremists must be getting a tad bit nervous that the UN will actually try to do something about their recent increase in expansionism and attacks on the Palestinians.)
Speaking to the BBC, Professor Richard Falk said he believed that up to now Israel had been successful in avoiding the criticism that it was due.
(Indeed.)
Professor Falk is scheduled to take up his post for the UN Human Rights Council later in the year.
But Israel wants his mandate changed to probe Palestinian actions as well.
Professor Falk said he drew the comparison between the treatment of Palestinians with the Nazi record of collective atrocity, because of what he described as the massive Israeli punishment directed at the entire population of Gaza.
(In studying how to conduct their Occupation of Palestinian land not annexed at Partition, the Israeli Government actually studied the Nazis' handling of the Warsaw Ghetto, so I'm not sure what they're so upset about, except that someone official actually said this publicly.)
He said he understood that it was a provocative thing to say, but at the time, last summer, he had wanted to shake the American public from its torpor.
(Which is interesting, because this was barely reported when it happened ...)
Israeli actions in Gaza are collective punishment, says Falk.
(As does International Law ...)
"If this kind of situation had existed for instance in the manner in which China was dealing with Tibet or the Sudanese government was dealing with Darfur, I think there would be no reluctance to make that comparison," he said.
That reluctance was, he argued, based on the particular historical sensitivity of the Jewish people, and Israel's ability to avoid having their policies held up to international law and morality.
These and other comments from Professor Falk comments are, if anything, even harsher than the current UN investigator, John Dugard, who himself has been withering about Israel's actions.
(Actually, he has made many criticisms Israel would call 'harsh', but virtually nobody listened to him.)
A spokesman for the Israeli Foreign Ministry said that Israel wanted the UN investigator's mandate changed, so that he could look into human rights violations by the Palestinians as well as Israel.
If that were not to happen, the Israeli government may consider barring entry to the new UN investigator.
(This is called Grasping at Straws. All points of contact between the Israeli military and the Palestinians should be under international surveillance, and a UN force should be enforcing the laws Israel is currently in violation of.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7335875.stm
By Tim Franks
BBC Middle East correspondent
Falk believes that Israel has been avoiding criticism
The next UN investigator into Israeli conduct in the occupied territories has stood by comments comparing Israeli actions in Gaza to those of the Nazis.
(The Zionist Extremists must be getting a tad bit nervous that the UN will actually try to do something about their recent increase in expansionism and attacks on the Palestinians.)
Speaking to the BBC, Professor Richard Falk said he believed that up to now Israel had been successful in avoiding the criticism that it was due.
(Indeed.)
Professor Falk is scheduled to take up his post for the UN Human Rights Council later in the year.
But Israel wants his mandate changed to probe Palestinian actions as well.
Professor Falk said he drew the comparison between the treatment of Palestinians with the Nazi record of collective atrocity, because of what he described as the massive Israeli punishment directed at the entire population of Gaza.
(In studying how to conduct their Occupation of Palestinian land not annexed at Partition, the Israeli Government actually studied the Nazis' handling of the Warsaw Ghetto, so I'm not sure what they're so upset about, except that someone official actually said this publicly.)
He said he understood that it was a provocative thing to say, but at the time, last summer, he had wanted to shake the American public from its torpor.
(Which is interesting, because this was barely reported when it happened ...)
Israeli actions in Gaza are collective punishment, says Falk.
(As does International Law ...)
"If this kind of situation had existed for instance in the manner in which China was dealing with Tibet or the Sudanese government was dealing with Darfur, I think there would be no reluctance to make that comparison," he said.
That reluctance was, he argued, based on the particular historical sensitivity of the Jewish people, and Israel's ability to avoid having their policies held up to international law and morality.
These and other comments from Professor Falk comments are, if anything, even harsher than the current UN investigator, John Dugard, who himself has been withering about Israel's actions.
(Actually, he has made many criticisms Israel would call 'harsh', but virtually nobody listened to him.)
A spokesman for the Israeli Foreign Ministry said that Israel wanted the UN investigator's mandate changed, so that he could look into human rights violations by the Palestinians as well as Israel.
If that were not to happen, the Israeli government may consider barring entry to the new UN investigator.
(This is called Grasping at Straws. All points of contact between the Israeli military and the Palestinians should be under international surveillance, and a UN force should be enforcing the laws Israel is currently in violation of.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7335875.stm
BBC