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Michael Lynk: “This is apartheid.”

Michael Lynk reflects on his time as UN Special Rapporteur for the human rights situation in the Palestinian Territories.

In this episode we’re excited to share an interview with Michael Lynk, the 7th Special Rapporteur for the human rights situation in the Palestinian Territories, appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council. Michael’s term in that role just ended and he spoke to scientist, author and activist David Kattenburg about the state of things in Palestine and reflections on his service.

We also wanted to let you know about a new video report produced by our Palestine News Director, Yumna Patel. As readers of the site and listeners of this podcast know, Yumna is based in Bethlehem where she covers breaking news and produces video reports and documentaries.

On Thursday, May 5, we’ll premier a new video report titled Inside Israeli Apartheid.

For decades Palestinians have accused Israel of the crime of Apartheid, imposing two different legal systems on the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea: one system privileges Jews, and another discriminates against Palestinians.

Now, the rest of the world is catching up. In the past year, the leading global and Israeli human rights groups have joined their Palestinian counterparts in calling Israel an Apartheid state.

From the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza, to Palestinian communities inside Israel, this report looks Inside Israeli Apartheid, explaining how it works, and how it affects the daily lives of Palestinians.

This video will premiere on YouTube and Facebook on May 5th at 5pm Eastern Standard Time.


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Michael Lynk, the UN’s outgoing investigator on Palestine has openly violated UN neutrality rules by receiving an award from the PLO.
UN Watch is now calling on U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield and UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet to demand that Michael Lynk return the unethical prize.
“President Mahmoud Abbas has awarded the Order of the Star of Jerusalem to Professor Michael Lynk, presented by Foreign Minister Riad Al Malki in Dublin,” tweeted the PLO embassy in Ireland.
Lynk only ended his term as Special Rapporteur on Palestine last week, after a six-year term. He was appointed by the UN Human Rights Council in 2016, despite Canada’s objections about his lack of impartiality.
During Lynk’s term over the past six years, he acted not as an impartial UN investigator, but rather like an agent for the PLO. He systematically turned a blind eye to Hamas and Fatah terrorism, and demonized Israel.
Lynk insisted he was impartial, but now he isn’t even pretending any more.
The outgoing UN official accepted this award from Mahmoud Abbas at a time when his Fatah group participated in and praised the latest spate of Palestinian terrorist attacks that have killed 19 people in Israel.
Lynk’s acceptance of an award from one of the parties in a dispute that he was judging for the UN until last week sets a dangerous precedent.
The entire credibility of the UN’s system for country investigations is at stake.
If the UN investigator of Palestine can get an award from Palestinian President Abbas, what is to stop the UN investigators on Iran, Belarus and North Korea from accepting awards from Ayatollah Khamenei, Lukashenko and Kim Jong-un?
The UN human rights system is turning into a laughingstock, and dictators like Abbas, now in the 18th year of his 4-year term, are the prime corruptors.