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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Photo: GPO

Netanyahu: UN Human Rights Council legitimizes terrorism

Prime minister slams impending inquiry into human rights violations during Op Protective Edge; UN ambassador Prosor: HRC should be renamed 'Human Wrongs Council'.

Amid growing fears of the UN Human Rights Council's (HRC) inquiry of Operation Protective Edge having the effect of a second Goldstone Report, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke from his office in Jerusalem on Wednesday, condemning the HRC as anti-Israel and enablers of terrorism world-wide.

 

 

"The Human Right Council of the UN legitimizes murderous terrorist organizations like Hamas and ISIS," said the prime minister. "Instead of investigating Hamas' attacks on Israeli civilians and its use of Gazan residents as human shields, the UN decided to come and investigate Israel."

 

Leading the UN Probe is Professor William Schabas, a Canadian expert in human rights law who's been accused multiple times of having a strong bias against Israel including when he said that Netanyahu and former president Shimon Peres ought to be tried as the International Criminal Court.

 

Ynet interview with Prof. William Schabas    (צילום: ולדימיר רוטנשטיין וחגי דקל)

Ynet interview with Prof. William Schabas

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Despite Schabas' multiple media interviews in Israel to convince the nation of his impartiality, Netanyahu said in his comments, "The council's report has been pre-written. Its leader has already decided that Hamas isn't a terrorist organization, therefore they don't have anything to come for."

 

Besides slamming Hamas, Netanyahu cited that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East and insisted that the HRC spend its resources investigation several other players in the region including ISIS and the Syrian Army.

 

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The prime minister's comments however, represented only a part of Israel's offensive against the HRC's investigation and its Chair.

 

Israeli Ambassador to the UN Ron Prosor sent a scathing letter to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday, insisting that he 'publically denounce' the HRC for appointing Prof. Schabas as overseer of the probe.

 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyau with New York Governor Dan Cuomo just before his comments on the HRC investigation. (Photo: GPO) (Photo: GPO)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyau with New York Governor Dan Cuomo just before his comments on the HRC investigation. (Photo: GPO)

 

Prosor suggested the the HRC be renamed the "Human Wrongs Council" in light of the new probe, and called the selection of Schabas to lead it an "utter farce".

 

"This is like inviting ISIS to chair the UN's World Interfaith Harmony Week," said Prosor in the letter's opening paragraph. "Mr. Schabas' agenda is clear. In light of his hate filled rants, one doesn't need to be a fortune teller to predict the outcome of any inquiry led by Mr. Schabas."

 

Prof. William Schabas in an interview with Ynet.
Prof. William Schabas in an interview with Ynet.

 

Meanwhile, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) echoed the Israeli officials calling the investigation "a farce" that would lead to findings that are "all-but preordained."

 

"We have seen this theater of the absurd before," said the ADL's National Director Abraham H. Foxman in a statement. "A harsh, biased and fundamentally flawed report will be issued, providing fodder to those who have already found Israel guilty on all counts and handing Hamas a phony victory in the court of public opinion."

 

Schabas however, insists that the investigation would be impartial telling Ynet that, "I have solid opinions on Israel's actions and its leadership, the same as the rest of the citizens of Israel. That doesn't mean that this would impair my judgment."

 

When confronted with his calls for Netanyahu to be tried at the ICC, Schabas said, "I did not determine Netanyahu was guilty. I said that in my opinion he should stand trial to examine this issue."

 


פרסום ראשון: 08.14.14, 00:27
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