Geneva insiders report that the UN Human Rights Council is planning to hold a special session on the Goldstone report, next week or the week after.
Recall that the UNHRC decided last week to defer consideration of the report until its next regular scheduled session, in March 2010. There being no current emergency, calling a special session now would be a gross abuse of the procedure, even more egergious than the usual. There have been no special sessions on Iran’s repression of protesters, China’s killing of Muslim Uighurs, etc.
Since its inception in 2006, the council has held 9 special sessions dealing with countries, of which 5 have been devoted to condemning Israel, versus only 4 sessions for the rest of the world combined. An additional two sessions were called on the world food and financial crises, both to point fingers at the West.
11th special session (May 2009): Praised Sri Lankan government (ignored killing of 20,000 civilians).
10th special session (February 2009): Financial crisis (blamed the West).
9th special session (January 2009): Condemned Israel for Gaza war (ignored Hamas terrorism).
8th special session (November 2008) DR Congo (failed to reinstate investigator eliminated by council earlier in the year).
7th special session (May 2008) Food crisis (blamed the West).
6th special session (January 2008): Condemned Israel for actions in Gaza (ignored Hamas terrorism).
5th special session (October 2007): Myanmar.
4th special session (December 2006) Darfur (praised Sudan for its “cooperation”).
3rd special session (November 2006): Condemned Israel for errant shell in Beit Hanoun (ignored Hamas terrorism).
2nd special session (August 2006): Condemned Israel for Lebanon war (ignored Hezbollah terrorism).
1st special session (July 2006): Condemned Israel for responding to Gilad Shalit capture (ignored Hamas terrorism).
