View from Geneva

UN Human Rights Council, Debate on Racism and Discrimination, June 16, 2010

Pakistan for the Islamic Group:  The intellectual climate in the West is increasingly marked by a disturbing tendency to demonize Islam… Muslims are being demonized and dehumanized as Jews were in the inter-war period of the last century…

Qatar: The sufferings of Arab and Muslim communities in Western countries in terms of discrimination…

Libya: Israel’s occupation of Palestine and the other occupied Arab territories is based on racism…  The phenomenon of racial discrimination and incitement to hatred against Muslims through attempts to distort the picture of Islam through relating it to terrorism…   Making insults against the Holy Prophet in the media, particularly in certain Western European countries…

Pakistan for the Islamic Group:  Contemporary manifestations of racism prevail in different parts of the world — in particular in Western societies…

Sudan for the Arab Group: Islamophobia in countries of the North…  The racist practices of Israel, the occupying force in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, is one of the worst forms of racism…

UN Watch Responds:

 Mr Rapporteur, this Council recently adopted yet another resolution expressing its deep concern about serious instances of deliberate media stereotyping of religions, their adherents, and sacred persons.

Your report calls for an end to such media stereotyping and incitement to hatred.

During your work, have you ever noticed that the countries that are the most egregious practitioners of this stereotyping, in the form of caricatures, are those who sponsor and support these UN resolutions?

In particular, have you ever noticed that state-controlled newspapers in the Middle East regularly publish the most repugnant anti-Semitic cartoons?

Depictions of Jews as bloodthirsty are commonplace. For example, in Jordan, on January 15, 2009, Al-Arab al-Yaum published a cartoon of a hunch-backed and hook-nosed Jew, drinking Palestinian blood.

Other images promote the notion of a Jewish conspiracy. In 2008, Syria’s Al-Watan published a cartoon of a religious Jew holding puppets of U.S. presidential candidates McCain and Obama.

Jews are regularly depicted as bloodthirsty murderers. In Qatar, on June 2, 2010, Al-Watan published a caricature of a Jew who is half-man and half-octopus, wielding a weapon and an axe dripping with blood.

One could also cite dozens of caricatures portraying Jews stealing organs of Palestinians, such as this one published in Oman, on August 20, 2009, in Al-Watan.

All of these caricatures are reminiscent of the Nazi area, and depict religious Jews in classic stereotypes: long beards, black hats and coats, all of which target the Jewish religion and its adherents.

Mr. Rapporteur, in your investigation of intolerance and religious hatred, we call upon you to examine first — as logic would require — the countries that sponsor these resolutions.

Thank you, Mr. President.

UN Watch intervention delivered by Lisa Levy

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En francais:

Monsieur le Rapporteur,

Ce Conseil a de nouveau récemment adopté une résolution exprimant sa profonde inquiétude face à l’utilisation délibérée, dans les médias, de stéréotypes négatifs à l’égard des religions.

De la même manière, votre rapport engage les médias à ne pas véhiculer de tels stéréotypes à l’égard des groupes et à ne pas inciter à la haine.

Au cours de votre travail, avez-vous constaté que des caricatures sont abondamment exploitées par les médias des pays à l’origine du texte voté à cette même Assemblée?

Plus particulièrement, avez-vous relevé qu’au Moyen Orient, les journaux, sous contrôle des gouvernants, publient régulièrement les clichés antisémites les plus répugnants?

On trouve, en effet, de manière récurrente, des représentations de juifs « buveurs de sang ». Exemple, en Jordanie, le 15 janvier 2009, dans Al-‘Arab al-Yaum, un dessin montrant des juifs bossus, au nez crochu, buvant et trinquant avec le sang des palestiniens.

D’autres reprennent largement les vieilles théories du complot juif. Ainsi, une caricature publiée en Syrie, en 2008, dans le journal Al-Watan, représente un juif religieux tenant dans chaque main les marionnettes de Mc Cain et d’Obama.

Plus généralement, les juifs sont régulièrement dépeints comme des meurtriers sanguinaires. Ainsi, au Qatar, dans le journal Al-Watan, le 2 juin 2010, la caricature d’un juif mi homme, mi pieuvre, tenant une hache dégoulinant de sang et une arme à feu.

Toutes ces caricatures, inspirées par le catalogue de l’époque nazie, dépeignent des juifs religieux, à l’aide de stéréotypes classiques : barbes, chapeaux et manteaux noirs, et visent donc spécifiquement la religion juive et leurs adhérents.

Monsieur le Rapporteur, nous vous appelons, lors de vos enquêtes, à examiner en priorité, comme la logique l’exige, les incitations à l’intolérance et la haine des religions dans les pays ayant sponsorisés ces résolutions.

Merci Monsieur le Président.

Below are highlights from the UN Human Rights Council debate held yesterday and today, followed by UN Watch’s response.

UN rights chief Navi Pillay opened the debate by saying she was “shocked” that “humanitarian aid would be met with such violence,” and “unequivocally condemned” Israel’s “unnecessary use of force.”

The Palestinian representative accused Israel of “believing it is above the law.” Turkey decried Israel’s “great breach of international law.” Egypt for the Non-Aligned Movement said that the incident was “another example of Israel’s total avoidance of international law and disregard for international norms.”

Austria, Iceland, Panama and El Salvador urged an investigation. However, Canada urged all states “not to rush to conclusions before all facts are known.” Canada expressed concern for the condition of people living in Gaza but “can strongly understand Israel’s concerns about terrorism from Gaza that threatens their national security.”

Spain for the EU expressed “deepest concerns about the events.” Pakistan for the Islamic Group protested the “unprovoked outrageous attack on the ships carrying humanitarian aid… Israel should no longer be allowed to release a reign of terror on Palestinians.” Israel’s “heinous crime” was “a brutal reminder of its continued total disregard for human rights and humanitarian law.”

The USA was “deeply disturbed” by the recent violence and “regrets the tragic loss of life and injuries.” The Obama Administration “strongly urged the Israeli government to investigate the incident fully.” The USA remains “deeply concerned by the suffering of civilians in Gaza.” At the same time, Hamas’ arms smuggling and commitment to terrorism “undermines security and prosperity for Palestinians and Israelis alike.”

Sudan for the Arab Group stated that “this Israeli attack against the freedom flotilla is a violation of both maritime law and human rights law.”

Cuba slammed “the international powers that provide Israel with a cloak to protect and shield,” saying they “must answer to history.”

China called the events “shocking.” Yemen condemned Israel’s actions for showing “all forms of international terrorism and piracy.” Lebanon called Israel’s actions one more addition to “Israel’s long list of Israeli terror.”
 

UN Watch Intervention
Delivered by Hillel Neuer, 2 June 2010

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Mr. President, this debate turns on one question: Was the flotilla humanitarian, or not?

To answer this question, let us first examine the objective of the organizers, and then the means they used.

Evidence of the organizer’s objective can be found in the path they chose, and the path they rejected.

Israel, which in the past 18 months has delivered over 1 million tons of aid to Gaza, offered to receive the flotilla’s cargo in the nearby port of Ashdod, and, after inspection, to deliver it to Gaza. The organizers, however, rejected this offer. Because they wanted to create a political provocation; they were looking for a physical confrontation.

Mr. President, is this a humanitarian path?

Further evidence can be found in their state of mind, as demonstrated by their own words.

Before the ships sailed, supporters chanted “Intifada, Intifada,” and “Khaybar, Khaybar, O Jews, the army of Muhammed will return.” One of them declared that the aim of the flotilla was either of two “good things… achieving martyrdom or reaching Gaza.”

Mr. President, is this a humanitarian state of mind?

Let us also examine the means they used: metal bars, knives, axes, and even guns.

Mr. President, are these humanitarian means?

No. This operation was organized by an extremist group, the IHH, with extensive and documented ties to terrorist groups. Their objective and means had nothing to do with humanitarianism.

Now, seated around me here are representatives of some of the world’s leading humanitarian organizations, from the International Committee of the Red Cross, the UN Refugee Agency, and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Let us ask them: Are these the ways of humanitarians?

No, Mr. President, the resolution that is before us today – introduced by such countries as Iran, Libya, Saudi Arabia and Sudan – is an insult to the world’s real humanitarians.

Thank you, Mr. President.  

(Written text of UN Watch’s speech, as it was provided to the UN for its official record)

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