Thursday, December 11, 2008
Of all the nations that have taken the floor in various venues at the United Nations, which one does General Assembly President, Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann, take a stand against? UN General Assembly chief tries to block Israeli envoy's address
The President of the United Nations General Assembly tried to prevent Israel's ambassador, Professor Gabriela Shalev, from speaking at a special commemorative plenary session marking 60 years since the UN adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, scheduled for Wednesday.
The General Assembly President, Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann, tried to cancel speeches that were to be given by representatives of the unofficial regional group known as "Western European and others," after he learned that Israel's ambassador was to represent the group as its rotating chairman.
However, European representatives rejected the motion to cancel the meeting, and voiced outrage at his attempt to prevent the address.
In response, Brockmann announced that he would add a representative of the Arab bloc and a representative of unaffiliated nations, two blocs known to be hostile toward Israel, to the list of speakers at the session.
The event is expected to turn into a political debate in light of these changes.
Particularly ironic, considering that the Saudi Arabia, for one, opposed the original Declaration of Human Rights, and Muslim and Arab States have since composed their own Islamic Declaration of Human Rights as a substitute. Brockmann, however, has his own priorities.
What would the UN do without Israel?
So many of that expensive debating society's resolution involve demonizing Israel in one manner or another.
Q: What would we do without the UN?
A: Let's find out!