Annual UN carnival

Coinciding with the High Holyday period in our calendar is the annual carnival of farce and hypocrisy known as the UN General Assembly…writes Michael Kuttner.

There can hardly be a bigger contrast between our prayers for universal peace and tolerance and the venomous expressions of lies and intolerance uttered from the podium of the UN in New York. Not every speaker speaks drivel but unfortunately a large number do and it is these whom the media adore. If eligibility for membership depended only on a country’s democratic credentials the number of delegates filling the hall would be considerably less. Unfortunately, however, this is not the case and, as a result, every year increasing numbers of representatives from dubious countries where human rights are a fiction address the assembled multitudes with advice dripping in double standards.

Naturally, Israel is the eternal target for every libel, slander and smear from the podium. One would think that no other problem faces humanity. Poverty, famine, natural disasters, suppression of minorities, hate and persecution and a myriad of other misfortunes all fade into insignificance. Seemingly the only genuine democracy in the Middle East remains the main source of international instability and a major threat to world peace.

This year was no exception.

A parade of world leaders parroted the expected banal statements and accusations. Others had much pleasure in patting themselves on the back and basking in momentary media glory.

President Trump is far from a coherent speaker, especially when he veers off script, but he has certainly shaken up the world of doublespeak diplomacy. The delegates gathered in New York may have very well laughed at some of his statements but most of those laughing at him have in fact nothing to laugh about.

EU member countries exude an aura of moral superiority and usually lose no opportunity to lecture, censure and criticize. Instead of concentrating on their own demographic and economic looming disasters they prefer instead to tell us how to behave. They fund NGO’s which interfere in our domestic affairs and promote activities which seek to undermine our society.

The EU Foreign Policy Chief is adamant that supporting corrupt UNRWA and perpetuating the eternal Palestinian Arab refugees means supporting peace and security in the Middle East. Anything further detached from actual reality would be hard to find.

In Denmark, a Parliamentary Committee has approved a vote in Parliament to ban Brit Milah.

Sweden has banned Shechitah. Now it has shut down a shop in Malmo which sells imported Kosher meat and there is a continuing campaign to ban the import of kosher meat altogether.

These are some of the democratic countries which preach morality to Israel from the UN General Assembly and on other occasions.

Not to be left out, squeaky clean Switzerland is gradually banning burkas. Imagine the international outcry if Israel were to do the same.

The Malaysian Prime Minister, a self-acknowledged long-standing hater of Jews continues to spread slanderous statements. He has been an honoured guest at Oxford University which makes one wonder how far the anti-Jewish rot has seeped into British academia. In an interview with the BBC, he claimed that Jews are hook-nosed and that “only” 4 million Jews were killed in the Holocaust. For good measure at the UN, he reiterated the now fashionable lie that Israel was responsible for all the woes of the Middle East.

This is merely scratching the surface of all those countries which use the UN forum to repeat endless anti-Israel/Jewish fables. Most Moslem countries automatically use the occasion to spew conspiracy theories and allegations. All of them receive hand clapping applause.

Israel’s Prime Minister in his speech once again “outed” the Iranian regime and showed how it was cheating in its covert progress to nuclear terror capabilities. By now one would have thought that the UN and majority of members should have woken up to the truth. However commercial mendaciousness and hypocritical myopia have combined to give the Iranians a free pass. In fact, the EU and others are working overtime to thwart renewed sanctions while the UN agency tasked with monitoring nuclear cheating remains blind and deaf to proof provided.

As usual, the darling of the international community and recipient of massive aid which helps to pay terrorists who slay Israelis, Abbas, rose to the occasion and once again demonstrated why he is a fake partner for peace. The fact that his inciting assertions received applause merely demonstrates the depravity which characterizes the UN these days. Here are some choice quotes:

Abbas: “Israel committing acts of blasphemy against our holy sites, especially Al-Aqsa Mosque.”

Real meaning: The dastardly Jews have no rights to pray at the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs, or at Rachel’s Tomb or at Joseph’s tomb or at the Kotel.

Abbas: “colonial occupation continues to suffocate us.”

Real meaning: the Jews are illegitimate occupiers and have no legitimacy to ownership of any part of the Land of Israel.

Abbas: “Israel’s Supreme Court plans to pass a decision to dividing Al Aqsa by time and space.”

Real meaning: Allowing Jews to ascend Temple Mount is a crime. Repeating lies about plans to destroy the mosque is a standard tactic to stir up the masses. It works every time.

Abbas: “We are resisting the Israeli occupation by legitimate means decided by international resolutions. Only peaceful means. We never use violence.” “We will continue to reject violence and use of weapons.”

Real meaning: Repeat a lie long enough and the international community will applaud you. Inciting teens and adults to murder, poisoning minds via school textbooks and media and paying pensions and stipends for terrorists & their families are all classified as “legitimate means.”  Hurling rocks at cars, setting fields alight with kites and balloons and murdering Jews shopping at supermarkets is not violence according to the warped definitions of Abbas and friends.

Abbas: “I reiterate that we are not against negotiations and have never rejected negotiations on any day and that we continue to extend our hands for peace. We only believe in peace. Peace is the only path. We don’t believe in terrorism and violence.”

Real meaning: Historical revisionism at its best. Facts on the ground prove that assertions of peaceful intentions and abhorrence of terrorism and violence are easily sold to gullible souls. Reality is exactly the opposite.

Abbas: Our martyrs are heroes.

Real meaning: Everything articulated previously is a blatant lie – the PA will continue to glorify murderers and name schools and squares after them. Just a small example courtesy of PMW:

http://www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=26385

A carnival is usually a joyful affair. This annual UN carnival, by contrast, is a miserable parade of hypocrites. Abbas received applause and ovations for his speech. It does not seem that either Australia or New Zealand’s representatives pointed out the obvious and the thunderous silence from most of the rest of the UN speaks volumes about its relevance.

It’s about time all concerned rethink their participation in this annual farce.

Michael Kuttner is a Jewish New Zealander who for many years was actively involved with various community organisations connected to Judaism and Israel. He now lives in Israel and is J-Wire’s correspondent in the region.