Issue 445: Latest from UN Watch: Blog, Twitter, Storify

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Latest From Storify.com/UNWatch:    storify
Why does Ken Roth keep blaming Egypt’s crimes on Israel?
Human Rights Watch (HRW) Executive Director Kenneth Roth talks during the World Reporters 2011 press briefing in Brussels on January 24, 2011. As Uzbekistan's President Islam Karimov arrives for his first visit to Brussels, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) wishes to express the extreme concern about the situation in Uzbekistan where 16 human rights defenders, including 8 members of the FIDH member organisation, HRSU, remain detained. FIDH denounces the invitation sent by the President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, to a dictator directly responsible for massive human rights violations in the absence of any improvement on the human rights situation and of any demonstrated willingness to positively engage on this matter. AFP PHOTO / JOHN THYS (Photo credit should read JOHN THYS/AFP/Getty Images)
In his latest in a series of bizarre tweets over the past year, Human Rights Watch director Ken Roth tried to implicate Israel in the Egyptian army’s gross human right abuses, asking How many protesters must #Egypt govt kill before US suspends $1B+ of military aid? Israel treaty isn’t only concern.”
Roth’s terse tweets about America’s Egypt policy invariably seem to inject Israel:

  • “If Obama won’t cut aid to #Egypt because of #Israel, he should say so instead of papering over major rights problems”
  • US should cut military aid to #Egypt until democracy restored, not let Israel concerns stand in way.”

While American policy on Egypt certainly does seek to preserve the latter’s peace with Israel—and to prevent areas like the Sinai falling even further into the hands of chaos, Islamist terrorism, and regional war—Roth’s furious Twitter campaign to cast Israel, the Middle East’s only liberal democracy, as somehow the primary obstacle to human rights and democracy in Egypt is nothing short of preposterous.
Coincidentally or not, George Soros—who recently donated $100 million to Ken Roth’s organization—argued in a 2011 Washington Post op-ed about democracy in Egypt that “The main stumbling block is Israel.”
For more—and to see Ken Roth’s response—click here.
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Latest from UN Watch’s “View from Geneva” Blog:
Swiss Government Sponsors Press Conference for Extremist Ideologue Noam Chomsky
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President Obama may wish to ask the Swiss government why it sponsored a Geneva press conference on Friday by extremist anti-American ideologue Noam Chomsky, who, among many other terrible things, had famously argued that the Cambodian genocide of the 1970s never occurred; and that, if genocide did occur, it was the fault of America; and that if 9/11 was bad, America itself was ultimately responsible.
At last week’s event, Chomsky attacked “neocolonialist” Israel and its American backers, and accused the American media of “hiding the truth from us.” Chomsky’s talk virtually ignored the ongoing mass killings in Syria and Egypt.
There is no evidence that Iran is developing nuclear weapons, said Chomsky, and if it does, the weapons would be “for defensive purposes only.”
Chomsky’s apologetics for terrorists and murderers, thanks to the unwitting contribution of Swiss taxpayers, were widely reported around the world, including in the Washington Post.
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Annual ECOSOC Session Condemns Israel, Ignores Mass Killings in Syria, Egypt and Rest of World’s Violations
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July 19 – The UN’s Economic and Social Council today adopted a resolution on human rights and humanitarian law that mentioned Syria 15 times. Except that Syria’s government was nowhere mentioned or criticized. The resolution was against Israel. Read More
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Scandal: Genocidal Sudan Chairs ECSOC Human Rights Session
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Despite its president being indicted for racist genocide, Sudan chaired meetings at the annual session of ECOSOC, a top UN body that oversees human rights commissions. Israel was the only country condemned. Sudan’s ongoing rape and killings in Darfur were completely ignored.  Read More
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Top UN Watch tweets in July, as reposted by influential journalists and diplomats to their subscribers
    From Twitter.com/UNWatch:

Wow! That’s almost entire UN rights council. “@OsloFF: Mugabe invites #Russia #Venezuela #China #Sudan #Cuba & #Iran to observe elections”
Now online: #Che Guevara’s 1964 UN speech where he proudly admits executing people: http://blog.unwatch.org/index.php/2013/07/21/unesco-honors-executioner-che-guevara/  Sad: #UNESCO just honored him.
One year after suspicious death of top Cuban dissident Oswaldo Paya, 125 world leaders & NGOs urge UN to investigate: https://unwatch.org/cms.asp?id=4353921&campaign_id=65378
UN Watch salutes Samantha Power’s forceful defense of basic principles at today’s Senate Hearing. We look forward to working with you @USUN.

   From Twitter.com/HillelNeuer

Sick but true: #Iran seeks key post on UN #Disarmament council; #Syria in race for #HumanRights council. @Reutershttp://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE96T16F20130730?irpc=932
Dear @KenRoth I’ve just Storified your weird habit of trying to inject #Israel into your tweets on Egypt’s abuses: http://bit.ly/157hHSX
Saudi gives man 7 yrs jail & 600 lashes 4 liberalismhttp://mobile.france24.com/en/20130729-7-years-jail-600-lashes-saudi-rights-activist-lawyer but it’s joining the UN Human Rights Councilhttps://unwatch.org/cms.asp?id=4386180&campaign_id=65378
Rising Senior Speaks Out for Human Rights | @SmithCollege http://bit.ly/1cgMdv0Congratulations to recent @UNWatch intern @Melissa_Fares!
Mass murderer Bashar al-Assad now has an Instagram account, many photos of his Vogue star wife posing with kids http://Instagram.com/syrianpresidency
“@AP BREAKING: 1,000 inmates escape prison in Bengazi, Libya.”
Omigod: the UN Human Rights Council just found 1,000 new candidates 2b Chair
Syria gasses Palestinian refugee camp, 22 dead. UN Palestine investigator Richard Falk is silent; can’t blame Israel. http://toi.sr/19cVdlo
Samantha Power’s Nomination Hearing: Video & Transcript: Hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee http://bit.ly/13F7oin
Dear @UN, This video reveals @UNRWA teaching kids “Isn’t it true the Jews are the wolf?” Is this education for peace? http://youtu.be/kbrafPTe_LQ?t=11m25s
What is UN’s top rights body now debating?
A. Syria Slaughter
B. Egypt coup
C. #Israel – in a “Peasants Rights” conf
http://blog.unwatch.org/index.php/2013/07/17/israel-accused-of-water-apartheid-at-u-n-s-cuban-backed-peasants-rights-conference/
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