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UN adoption of Goldstone Report denounced |
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Written by --
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Wednesday, 11 November 2009 |
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TORONTO – B’nai Brith Canada has voiced its condemnation of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for passing a resolution which adopts the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)-mandated Goldstone Report.
The resolution passed with 114 in favour, 18 against and 44 abstaining. Canada voted against the resolution, as did Israel, the United States, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and the Czech Republic. Britain and France abstained.
“With the passing of this resolution the UNGA has once again shown the world that, outside of having an automatic anti-Israel majority of Arab, Islamic and anti-Western nations, there is not much substance to be found there,” said Frank Dimant, executive vice-president of B’nai Brith Canada.
“The fact that a democracy fighting to protect its citizens from terrorism is continuing to be judged by the same standards as a terrorist group purposefully trying to maximize Israeli civilian casualties is an absurdity.
“The Goldstone Commission was prejudged against Israel from the moment of its inception. Goldstone’s mandate was completely biased against Israel and members of his team were blacklisting Israel before they were even named to investigate what had happened. Recently, the US Congress had the integrity and clarity of mind to say exactly these things about the Goldstone Report and they should be applauded for that. If this report makes it to the UN Security Council, President [Barack] Obama should call for an American veto so we can finally put this so-called report to bed.
“Thankfully for Canadians, we have a government that understands the realities of the Middle East and has acted and spoken out against the Goldstone Report from the beginning. In continuation of that policy, the government of Canada should be applauded and thanked for voting against the anti-Israel resolution.”
An Israeli foreign ministry statement called the UN endorsement “completely detached from realities on the ground.”
It also said the 18 votes against the resolution, including Canada and the US, and the 44 abstentions, including many European countries, were the “moral majority.” |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 18 November 2009 )
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