From Haaretz:
The Obama administration is trying to delay the establishment of a panel appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council to investigate the issue of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
U.S. Middle East envoy David Hale met in Bern last week with UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay and asked her not to advance the matter in the near future.
According to the text of the decision to establish the panel, it is meant “to investigate the implications of the Israeli settlements on the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of the Palestinian people throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.” However, the UN Human Rights Commissioner has yet to formulate a clear mandate for the panel and has not appointed a chairman or members.
Foreign Ministry officials noted that the U.S. wants to postpone the establishment of the panel to the latest possible date, hoping this will lead to the unofficial burial of the matter. However, the assessment is that it will not be possible to prevent the establishment of the panel, so the aim is therefore to delay it until at least after the U.S. presidential elections in November.
On March 30, a week after the decision by the UN Human Rights Council, Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon traveled secretly to Washington to meet with his U.S. counterpart Bill Burns. Ayalon asked for help in thwarting the establishment of the panel and even suggested that the U.S. publicly threaten to quit the UN Human Rights Council if the panel is established.
The Americans did not respond to that threat, as they view membership in the UN Human Rights Council as a central issue in the foreign policy of the Obama administration. However, the Americans agreed to pressure the UN Human Rights Commissioner on the date of the establishment of the panel and the mandate that it will receive.
“On March 30, a week after the decision by the UN Human Rights Council, Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon traveled secretly to Washington to meet with his U.S. counterpart Bill Burns. Ayalon asked for help in thwarting the establishment of the panel and even suggested that the U.S. publicly threaten to quit the UN Human Rights Council if the panel is established.
The Americans did not respond to that threat, as they view membership in the UN Human Rights Council as a central issue in the foreign policy of the Obama administration. However, the Americans agreed to pressure the UN Human Rights Commissioner on the date of the establishment of the panel and the mandate that it will receive. ”
Obama and Biden’s cajones are still smarting from Israel kicking them right in the family jewels when they tried to take a stand on illegal settlements continuing to be the “obstacle to peace”
Too bad Obama keeps rolling over
Some but not all members of the UN “Human Rights” Council
are
Eritrea : Whose refugees flood through our southern border daily.
Egypt :)
Sudan ROFL
Pakistan double ROFL
Qatar who rules there ?
Saudi Arabia : that’s not even funny
Zimbabwe : Are you kidding me?
Congo : “Many Pygmies in Congo live as slaves to Bantu masters.[”
Russian Federation :)
People’s Republic of China : A known human rights beacon
Cuba : Always did had a soft spot for Fidel.
Why the US keeps funding this travesty i have no idea :)
What will the U.S. government do about this after the election (especially if Romney is elected in November)?
Adam, Phil etc not sure where to put this.
I had the great honor of getting to know a young man who is from Afghanistan and was studying here in the states for three years on a Fulbright scholarship. He is now back in his country He tells me I can use his name when referencing what he says. But I do not. Last night after President OBama’s speech about Afghanistan I contacted my friend about our role in his country and President Obama’s speech:
Here is his response
Quote”Regarding the Obama speech, we are glad for the signing strategic partnership agreement with the US. Afghanistan is located in a very sensitive region with two main regional powers, Pakistan and Iran, always want to keep Afghanistan politically and economically weak country in the region. Suppose Afghanistan rejects to sign strategic partnership with the US based on its moral obligation to care of the regional political sensitivities, but the Pakistan and Iran would not understand and appreciate this sacrifice. The only point they know is to fight for their political powers at the region. Therefore, Pakistan tries to use Taliban as a political tool in the region to put forward their internal interest in the region. We need a strong country like US to protect us from the regional distablizers.
However, Afghanistan still needs to fight for its political and economical better condition in the future. The desired outcomes will not be gained soon. It needs decades.”
“Foreign Ministry officials noted that the U.S. wants to postpone the establishment of the panel to the latest possible date, hoping this will lead to the unofficial burial of the matter. However, the assessment is that it will not be possible to prevent the establishment of the panel, so the aim is therefore to delay it until at least after the U.S. presidential elections in November”
Hummm……so if it’s not going to be possible to prevent it…..then the effort to delay it has to be only because the adm thinks it would become an issue with Jewish voters or donors and OB would be blamed for not stopping it.
So if OB gets relected I guess we will see how much of a fight against it he puts up and whether they is any real weakening of Israel firstdom in his second term.
Considering the fact his own dem party has been so shitty in backing him up on anything, if I were he, I would stick it to them and the Israel firsters all in my second term and exit laughing my a** off.