Iran
Diverts Attention at Opening of UN Council in Geneva
By
Shelomo Alfassa / March 19, 2008
As
this goes to print, the 7th annual session of the United
Nations Human Rights Council is taking place in Geneva,
and already, by the second day into the week-long session,
Israel is being pummeled by Iranian propaganda meant to
sway public opinion against the Jewish state.
In
an address to the President of the UN Council, Ms. Meirav
Eilon Shahar, speaking on behalf of the government of
Israel, recalled for the record, factual episodes of incitement
to commit genocide by the Iranian government, something
which is an international crime. Shahar called upon the
UN to address the fact that leaders of the Iranian Revolution
Guard were quoted on 19 February 2008 saying, "In
the near future we will use the destruction of the cancerous
tumor, Israel, by the powerful and competent hand of Hezbollah
fighters." She then read a quote from 16 February
2008 where the Commander of the General Staff of the Iran
Armed Forces called upon and urged the "Combatants
of Lebanon and Palestine Islamic Resistance to continue
their struggle until the complete destruction of the Zionist
regime."
In
her final words to the Council, the Israeli representative
quoted the President of Iran who in February of 2008 stated,
"World powers have created a black and dirty microbe
named the Zionist regime and have unleashed it like a
savage animal on the nations of the region." Ahmadinejad
had made these remarks at a rally that was broadcast on
state television. The Israeli representative asked how
could the UN allow one member state threaten the destruction
of another member state. She asked if these statements
would be addressed.
Representing
Iran, Asadollah Eshragh Jahromi replied to "The Israeli
Regime," in a tirade of deceit. He said the "Israeli
Regime" was at the UN to launch a series of baseless
and distorted accusations against Iran in an effort to
try to, "Divert attention from the ongoing atrocities
in the occupied Palestinian territories." The Iranian
representative stated that the "Israeli Regime"
is committing aggression, occupation and daily attacks
against women and children in occupied Palestine. He declared
that Israel is constituting a "severe breach"
of all international human rights laws, and is committing
"vivid examples of genocide and holocaust" of
an oppressed people.
In
an allotted one minute response, Mr. Tibor Shalev-Schlosser,
of the Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations
in Geneva called the Iranian representative, "a Wolf
that is crying for help," and that Iran was making
a cynical attempt to try to, "Excuse the inexcusable."
He stated Iran was deliberately distorting reality, and
that Iran has violated the UN Charter when it calls, repeatedly,
for the destruction of another UN member state. In a daring
statement directed at the Iranian representative, Shalev-Schlosser
advised that it would be better if the Iranian delegate
"remained silent."
The
UN Human Rights Council is meeting from March 3-28 2008
in Geneva, Switzerland. Justice for Jews from Arab Countries
(JJAC) is among the various international NGOs (non-governmental
organizations) which are testifying before the Council.
As Israel stands up for it's Jewish citizens, JJAC plans
to raise the subject of the (long ignored) plight of the
850,000 Jews displaced from Arab countries.
###
Shelomo
Alfassa is the US Director of Justice for Jews from
Arab Countries
