UN Secretary-General Post: Soros 'buddy' Kristalina Georgieva to be nominated – reports.

European Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva receiving the award of the Open Society foundation, from George Soros.

UN Secretary-General race: Soros 'buddy' Kristalina Georgieva to be nominated – reports. (SofiaGlobe).

Bulgarian European Commission vice-president Kristalina Georgieva is to be a late entry into the race to succeed UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, media reports on September 10 said.

According to a tweet by Talal Al-Haj, UN bureau chief of television station Al-Arabiya, Georgieva will be nominated by Hungary, Latvia and Croatia, with the support of Germany.

He said that the nomination of Georgieva – now in her second term on the European Commission – had been agreed on the sidelines of the most recent meeting of the G20.

Separately, Bulgarian-language media said that Bulgaria’s Cabinet would withdraw its nomination of Irina Bokova to replace it with a nomination of Georgieva. Well-informed sources indicated to The Sofia Globe that this move could be expected in coming days.

The reports came the morning after the UN Security Council’s fourth and latest “straw poll” saw Bokova, scion of a Bulgarian communist family and now in her second term as head of Unesco, came in a poor fifth in the vote among the 15 Security Council members.

In the vote, Bokova got seven “encourage” votes, five “discourage” and three “no opinion”.
Bokova initially was nominated in the dying days of the 2013/24 ruling axis, a government nominally led by the Bulgarian Socialist Party, that stepped down amid widely-supported public protests demanding its resignation.

Her nomination was confirmed in 2016 by the current centre-right government headed by Boiko Borissov, after minority socialist ABC party leader Georgi Purvanov – a former BSP leader – threatened to withdraw his support for Borissov’s government unless it endorsed Bokova. Though Borissov gave in to this pressure, Purvanov later led his party out of the government anyway.

Georgieva previously indicated, early in 2016, that she would not be available to be the candidate because she would be continuing in her post in the Juncker European Commission.

However, the ground has been being prepared for some time for the nomination of Georgieva, who has an impressive range of experience at international level at the World Bank and at the European Commission and is widely respected.

Apart from the dwindling support for Bokova, it is seen as highly likely that her candidacy would be vetoed by at least one of the permanent members of the UN Security Council, the United Kingdom.


Bokova’s controversial candidacy has been backed in part by those who say that the next head of the UN should be a woman from Eastern Europe – a criterion that Georgieva meets.

U.N. Nuclear Watchdog Rejects Resolution Singling Out Israel.

U.N. Nuclear Watchdog Rejects Resolution Singling Out Israel. (JNS).

In a 61-43 vote on Thursday, the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) General Conference rejected a resolution proposed by several Arab states that called for international supervision and inspections of Israel’s nuclear sites.

The Arab campaign, which was led by Egypt and supported by Qatar, Syria, Libya, Iraq, and Iran, called on Israel to join the Non-Proliferation Treaty and place its nuclear facilities under United Nations supervision. The IAEA is the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog.

The vote to reject the resolution was a strong diplomatic victory for Israel after months of lobbying against the measure in dozens of international capitals. Among those who supported Israel were the United States, Canada, Australia, the entire European Union, and several African and Asian allies of the Jewish state.


During an address to the IAEA on Wednesday, the head of Israel’s Atomic Energy Committee, Ze’ev Snir, warned that the resolution would “hurt the credibility of the IAEA by politicizing the organization and reducing its valuable resources.”

Video - Hamas Friday Sermon in Gaza: Our People Hate UNRWA the Most, It Is Corrupt

Hmmmm......I guess they're still upset about their rocket storage :)

'Nearly 40 countries agree to abolish the right of vetoing UN' - Permanent Representative of Ukraine to UN.

'Nearly 40 countries agree to abolish the right of vetoing UN' - Permanent Representative of Ukraine to UN. (ukrinform).[GoogleTranslate].

Nearly 40 countries supported the initiative of Paris regarding the voluntary renunciation of the use of the veto in the United Nations, in cases where it is necessary to take urgent measures to stop the massive crimes.

This was stated by Deputy Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Jorginho France, responding to a question Ukrinform.

"French initiative on regulation of the veto in cases of mass atrocities have found a very wide response in the United Nations and the international community. Nearly forty countries have officially expressed their support in the framework of the last meeting of the United Nations and many others show interest, "- the diplomat said.

According to him, the decision may be taken in September. "We are actively discussing this issue, in particular in connection with the 70th anniversary of the United Nations in September, as a further step in mobilizing the international community", - said Jorginho.

Recall a proposal to voluntarily restrict the use of the veto was made in 2013, French President Francois Hollande. In particular, it is proposed to introduce a special procedure: at the request of at least 50 of the Secretary-General will have to assess the situation, which is submitted to the Security Council. 

If the acts committed are qualified as serious offenses ubiquitous nature, such as genocide or war crimes, will involve a "gentleman's agreement", which provides for the voluntary renunciation of the right of veto. At the same time, this mechanism does not function in cases where national interests are affected by at least one of the permanent members of the Security Council.

As you know, in late July, Russia blocked a UN Security Council resolution on the establishment of an international tribunal on the case of the fall of Boeing MN17, vetoing. Hmmmm.......I see it more as a way to get the 'veto' on the Palestinian state settled.

US protests the inclusion of alleged AQAP financier in Yemen's delegation to Geneva.

Wherein Ban Ki-Moon shakes hands w/ an alleged AQAP financier: (1) http://t.co/ac8jkhWY2O (2) http://t.co/9yDay58z0a pic.twitter.com/QIqKrBBLq3

— David A. Weinberg (@DavidAWeinberg) June 19, 2015

US protests the inclusion of alleged AQAP financier in #Yemen's delegation to Geneva.(AP).

'United Nutcases' - One day we may find Hezbollah sitting at the Security Council and ISIS voting at the Human Rights Council

'United Nutcases' - One day we may find Hezbollah sitting at the Security Council and ISIS voting at the Human Rights Council. HT: IMRA.

UN adopts organization associated with Hamas In a vote, whose participants included, among others, Iran, Sudan, Venezuela and Turkey, the UN determined that an organization that is associated to Hamas and supports terror can become a permanent NGO at the UN.
MFA 01 Jun 2015 http://mfa.gov.il/MFA/InternatlOrgs/Issues/Pages/UN-adopts-organization-associated-with-Hamas-1-Jun-2015.aspx

The United Nations Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations decided to grant the Palestinian Return Centre (PRC) an NGO status. The organization, which operates from Britain, promotes anti-Israel propaganda in Europe, in the political arena, in campuses and among the European public.

In 2010, Israel determined that the organization was illegal, because of its ties to Hamas. In 2010, a decree signed by Defense Minister Ehud Barak determined that the PRC serves as an organizational and coordinating wing of Hamas in Europe. Its members, according to the decree, are senior Hamas officials, operating to promote the terrorist group's agenda in Europe, and maintain direct contact with other Hamas senior officials, including its leaders in Damascus.

The PRC's guidelines include the denial of Israel's right to exist, supporting the right of return of refugees to Israeli territory in order to establish a Palestinian state instead of the Jewish state, and opposition to the peace process.

This is based on research conducted by the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, which also found that senior members of the PRC serve in other organizations, which involve, among other activities, transferring funds to Hamas.

The PRC's masthead. The letter R superimposed on a kaffiyeh stands for "return;" inside it is a miniature map of "Palestine", symbol of the final goal: the establishment of a Palestinian state to replace the State of Israel. Source: ITIC

A Non-Governmental Organization status enables organizations to strengthen their global influence and to widely spread their activities. This includes access to UN committees and conferences like the Human Rights Council, and permanent and Independent representation in UN sessions.

The committee is composed of 19 countries, including: Iran, Sudan, Venezuela, Cuba, Turkey, China, Russia, the United States and Israel. The result of the vote on the adoption of the organization as an NGO was 12 in favor (Including Iran, Pakistan, Sudan, Turkey, Venezuela, China and Cuba), three against (USA, Uruguay and Israel), and three abstentions (India, Russia and Greece). Burundi was absent from the vote.

Israel's Ambassador to the UN Ron Prosor: "Until today, the UN has given Hamas discounts and let it strengthen its activities. Now, the UN went one step further, and gave Hamas a welcoming celebration at its main entrance, allowing it to be a full participant. According to this script, one day we may find Hezbollah sitting at the Security Council and ISIS voting at the Human Rights Council. This is the peak season for the UN's Theatre of the Absurd."

Video - 'My Stealthy Freedom' History of protest by Iranian Women from 1979 to 2015

Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad created My Stealthy Freedom, a Facebook page where thousands of Iranian women are posting videos and pictures of themselves without wearing the mandatory head covering.

The page has garnered more than 750,000 likes and has drawn the ire of the Iranian government at the same time. Masih Alinejad won the United Nations Women's Rights Award for the campaign. 

Hmmm.....These are the Iranian guys the United Nutcases Give a seat on Women rights.

'John 8:7' - Passing Judgment on Israel.

'John 8:7' - Passing Judgment on Israel. (AT).By Hans Comprix.

The U.N. wants the world to believe that Israel is leading the globe in human rights violations, partly as a result of the shameless propaganda war perpetrated by Hamas during and since the war in the Gaza Strip last summer.

The war was precipitated by numerous Hamas and Palestinian terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians, the last straw being the bloody massacre of an entire Israeli family, including their newborn baby.

Only the uninformed could pass judgement on Israel for the unavoidable collateral damage on civilians which any warring state has been guilty of ranging from minimal to egregious. The United States is no stranger to civilian collateral damage. We routinely kill civilians as a result of our drone executions which take place near daily all over the Middle East. How does the U.S. handle the repercussions of killing civilians in order to execute high-value targets? We pay them cash money. In the Mideast, it's referred to as "blood money", and in Islam, paying that debt brings balance to the scales of justice.

In 2014 alone, Obama authorized 357 air strikes in Pakistan. These figures are noninclusive of the multitudes of drone strikes which are a fact of life for citizens in several Mideast countries; including, Yemen, Syria, and Iraq, among others. The 2014 official Pakistani deaths by drone reported was between 2,410 - 3,902; 416-959 civilians; 168-204 children; 1,133 - 1,706 injured.

During the 2014 Gaza Strip conflict, an estimated 2,200 casualties were reported, many of them civilians that were used as human shields by their own leaders.

The fact is, collateral damage is not a war crime, but a harsh reality that must be accepted in a world in which conflict and war is a part of human nature. Unfortunately for Israel, her enemies have demonstrated for years their willingness to sacrifice their own civilians in exchange for uninformed global pity and empathy that will one day lead to global indignation against Israel. 

Sadly, that strategy has had limited success until recent years; coinciding with the Obama presidency and global anti-Semitism, the likes of which haven't been seen since the holocaust." Read the full story here.

This Terrible Anti-Gun Treaty Goes Into Effect Christmas Eve

This Terrible Anti-Gun Treaty Goes Into Effect Christmas Eve. (Heritage).

Today, on Christmas Eve, the UN’s Arms Trade Treaty takes effect, giving Americans a lump of coal in their stockings this holiday season.

The ATT is a bad idea that keeps getting worse. In theory, it’s about stopping the sale of guns to terrorists and mass murderers. But in practice, it’s about preventing Israel from defending itself, allowing left-wing activists to dictate U.S. foreign policy and giving anti-gun advocates a leg up.

The treaty takes effect 90 days after it’s ratified by 50 nations. That happened on Sept. 25, so the ATT enters into force on Christmas Eve. 

That’s not likely to be a coincidence: Treaty advocates pretend the ATT is a present of peace to the world, so the timing suits their propaganda perfectly

The administration made a serious mistake when it signed the ATT in 2013, and since then, it’s been heavily criticized in the Senate, led by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., and Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., and in the House, where Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., has taken the lead. The administration has argued the treaty is nothing more than a restatement of the existing U.S. system of export controls and that it’s irrelevant to firearms ownership in the U.S.

If only. The U.S. firearms market is international, and the treaty certainly can affect U.S. imports. Moreover, the campaign for it was led by organizations and individuals with a long record of hostility to private firearms ownership. And the UN has weighed in by trying to link the agreement to other initiatives that are explicitly designed to restrict firearms ownership.

The claim that the ATT has no implications for U.S. arms exports also is wrong. If we followed the terms of the treaty, we wouldn’t be able to waive our human rights screening requirements to arm rebels in Syria. And in fact, the treaty advocates are already criticizing the administration and Congress for doing exactly that by arguing that the U.S. is violating the ATT.

The long run game of the treaty advocates is simple: Claim the ATT is international law and that it therefore binds the U.S., even if the Senate never ratifies the treaty. They want to sneak the treaty into the U.S. through the back door, because the Senate has nailed the front door shut.

But the activists are wrong: The ATT will have no legal effect on the U.S. after Dec. 24. And if Congress continues to show leadership, the U.S. can resist the creation of treaty precedents and procedures that would restrict our sovereignty.

At bottom, the ATT is a promise of hope and change, a pile of tightly wrapped Christmas presents under the tree. But as we’ve learned over the past six years, those promises aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. And until you actually unwrap your presents, you don’t know what you’re getting for Christmas.


The post This Terrible Anti-Gun Treaty Goes Into Effect Christmas Eve appeared first on Daily Signal

Video - "Global Anti-Semitism: A Threat to International Peace and Security." Brigitte Gabriel speaks on behalf of Israel

Ban Ki-moon: U.N. Will Investigate Israel's Targeting Of Its Schools During Gaza Conflict

Ban Ki-moon: U.N. Will Investigate Israel's Targeting Of Its Schools During Gaza Conflict. (forward).

The United Nations is preparing to investigate the targeting of its schools in Gaza during Israel’s recent operation in Gaza, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told an Arabic newspaper.

Several United Nations workers were kicked in airstrikes on the schools, which were housing internally displaced Palestinians. Weapons were found by the U.N. to be stored by Gaza terror groups in at least three U.N. schools.

The investigation is separate from a U.N. Human Rights Council panel investigating possible war crimes committed by Israel during the 50 days of Operation Protective Edge, Ban told the London-base Arabic Al-Hayat newspaper.

Israel has said soldiers were responding to rocket fire emanating from next to or inside the schools’ yards.

The investigation would not begin until the end of the UNHCR investigation led by Canadian judge William Schabas.

Ban told the newspaper that he already told the Israelis about the future probe, which will look into “the killing and wounding of United Nations personnel and the destruction of its facilities and to hold accountable those responsible,” as well as to investigate the storage of weapons in some of these facilities.

Video - Anne Bayefsky speaks @ the UN about UN antisemitism

HT: IsraelMatzav.

[Close but no cigar] U.S. project for Security Council resolution to make Gaza free of weapons, militants & tunnels

[Close but no cigar]An Nahar: American project for Security Council resolution to make Gaza free of weapons and militants and tunnels. HT: IMRA.

[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA: "any process to resolve the situation in Gaza in a permanent and meaningful manner must ultimately lead to the establishment of the Gaza Strip as an area free of any armed or military equipment or weapons ..."

Close but NO CIGAR.

"Ultimately" has no deadline.

The resolution doesn't call for "ultimately" opening crossing points.

The resolution doesn't call for "ultimately" rebuilding Gaza.

Disarming the terrorists cannot be postponed to "ultimately" - this especially when Hamas outright objects to disarming. It should be right there at the top of the "do list" when there is the maximum leverage - not "ultimately".

Sure, all the stages of demilitarization may take time.

But Hamas is PROUD of the thousands of missiles it now holds.

They don't deny they have them.

There is absolutely no technical problem with having scores of missiles publicly destroyed within days,
hundreds in weeks and thousands also in short order.

By the way - Fatah in Gaza is also proud of the missiles it still holds and boasts about them with a photo on their website.  http://www.fatehorg.ps/functions.php?action=files&table=attachs&ID=15705

There is also a FUNDAMENTAL ERROR IN THE CONCEPT that provides what appears to be no limits on the weapons held under the "full and legitimate control of the Palestinian Authority".
The Resolution should have wording that makes it crystal clear that there are ALSO limits to the weapons in the Gaza Strip. Period.

Time and again we have international authorities refer to the PLO honoring its agreements. And the most important agreements the PLO has signed are those with Israel. And these agreements - including agreements witnessed by the US, Russia, EU, Egypt, and even Norway, prohibit the deployment of
missiles in Gaza.

=================
An Nahar: American project for Security Council resolution to make Gaza free
of weapons and militants and tunnels
Source: New York - Ali Barada
An Nahar August 29, 2014
http://bit.ly/1tgLO6g
[Google translation]

Diplomats at the United Nations report that efforts are being made to make a decision in the Security Council for a basis for a "long-term solution" to prevent recurrence of the recent war between Israel and the Palestinian factions, notably the Islamic Resistance Movement "Hamas" and the organization "Islamic Jihad", in Gaza.

The United States submitted a draft resolution that provides for making the sector "a zone free of weapons and insurgents," with the exception of the Palestinian Authority, and to destroy all the tunnels across the border with both Israel and Egypt.

The American proposal, which An Nahar got a copy of it, intersects with the points of the "non-paper" European and Jordanian draft resolution, however, goes far beyond that on the issue of making Gaza a demilitarized zone and free of tunnels.

According to the proposed 12-paragraph working draft the Security Council would "denounce all acts of violence and hostilities directed against civilians and all acts of terrorism," and call on all parties to "comply
with the obligations under international humanitarian law." It also calls for the provision of vital aid to the population of the Gaza Strip, and especially through the agency of the United Nations Relief for Palestine
Refugees and employment "UNRWA" and other humanitarian organizations, and also calls for "an immediate cease-fire respected by all parties in and around Gaza."

In addition it calls for a "sustainable solution to the situation in Gaza, according to the following:

- Control restoration of control of the Gaza Strip by the Palestinian Authority, according to a binding commitment to the principles of the Quartet, starting from the crossing points on the border of the Gaza Strip.

- Open safe, sound and sustainable crossing points on the borders of Gaza, with the return of control of the Palestinian Authority, in accordance with the Security Council resolution No. 1860, depending on the appropriate security coordination.

- Begin urgently reconstruction efforts and economic recovery in the Gaza Strip, through a program of reconstruction in coordination with the Palestinian Authority with the support of the international community, in accordance with procedures agreed security, including in the end, monitoring and verification to prevent the use of building materials and other dual-use materials for non-peaceful purposes .

- The implementation of the understandings of the 2012 cease-fire, including in relation to fish and marine buffer zones. "

The American proposal also invites Member States to "take action urgently to prevent the supply, sales and transportation of direct or indirect prohibited weapons and related materials into Gaza, through their territories or by their nationals, or using ships and aircraft that fly its flag, whether flying or not flying from its territory. "

It stresses that "any process to resolve the situation in Gaza in a permanent and meaningful manner must ultimately lead to the establishment of the Gaza Strip as an area free of any armed or military equipment or weapons other than those subject to the full and legitimate control of the Palestinian Authority, with the dismantling and destruction of any tunnels across the borders of the Gaza Strip ".

The resolution requests the Secretary-General of the United Nations "to establish a mechanism to help implement this resolution, including the facilitation of safe transportation and the time for construction materials for projects carried out in coordination with the Palestinian Authority and in accordance with the procedures agreed security, including the mechanism for monitoring and verification of the end-use of materials, dual-use congruence with the declared purpose to it."

The resolution calls for a "renewed efforts pressing Israel and the Palestinians and the international community to achieve a comprehensive peace based on the vision of two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders, according
to the perception of UN Security Council Resolution 1850."

A senior diplomat at the Security Council advised that the diplomatic efforts are aimed to issue a resolution "before the end of the second round of negotiations," sponsored by Egypt between the Israeli and Palestinian
sides.
... Hmmm......Now i know why i have that bad gut feeling about pres Obama chairing that UN sec council meeting.

European Center for Law & Justice Asks "UN, HOW DID HAMAS ROCKETS END UP IN YOUR GAZA FACILITIES?"

European Center for Law and Justice (ECLJ) Asks "UN, HOW DID HAMAS ROCKETS END UP IN YOUR GAZA FACILITIES?" (BreakingChristianNews).

"The law-abiding member nations of the UN deserve the facts—deserve the truth—about why Hamas was permitted to use UN facilities in its unlawful attacks on Israel. The very reputation and legitimacy of the UN and its various arms and agencies are at stake, especially since Hamas is widely recognized as a terrorist organization." -Jay Sekulow, the American Center for Law and Justice.

(Washington, DC)—The European Center for Law and Justice (ECLJ)—the international affiliate of the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ)—today called on the Secretary-General of the United Nations to conduct an independent investigation to determine why UN facilities in Gaza were used to support Hamas operatives in their attacks on Israel. It has been widely reported that Hamas terrorist rockets were unlawfully stored in United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) facilities. (Photo via IDF/Algemeiner.com)

"The law-abiding member nations of the UN deserve the facts—deserve the truth—about why Hamas was permitted to use UN facilities in its unlawful attacks on Israel," said Jay Sekulow, who serves as Chief Counsel of the ECLJ as well as the ACLJ. "The very reputation and legitimacy of the UN and its various arms and agencies are at stake, especially since Hamas is widely recognized as a terrorist organization. What's worse—the return to Hamas of the rockets unlawfully stored in UNRWA facilities strongly suggests that UNRWA employees may be acting in concert and/or cooperating with Hamas operatives in unlawfully attacking a UN member state. That cannot be tolerated and may, in fact, constitute a war crime. At a minimum, it places in question the legitimacy and impartiality of all UNRWA operations in Gaza."

In a letter to U.N. Secretary-General H.E. Ban Ki-Moon, the ECLJ calls for the appointment of a Commission of Inquiry—an independent panel of international stature and unquestioned integrity to investigate how the Hamas rockets ended up in those facilities, who was responsible, and why the weapons were returned to the terrorists.

The ECLJ calls on the Secretary-General to establish the investigatory commission without delay.

"Until such an investigation takes place and effective measures are put in place to preclude future violations of UNRWA's protected status, the impartiality of UNRWA will remain in question, and Israeli doubts about the sanctity of UNRWA facilities will be fully justified," the ECLJ contends. "If UN facilities wish to enjoy the protection of international law, they must comply fully with the requirements of international law and be used solely for non-military purposes."

The ECLJ has been critical of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the International Committee of the Red Cross for biased comments accusing Israel of war crimes.

The ECLJ is an international, Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), dedicated to the promotion and protection of human rights and to the furtherance of the rule of law in international affairs. The ECLJ has held Special Consultative Status before the United Nations/ECOSOC since 2007.Read the full story here.

Schabas Vows To Investigate Israel For U.N. With Or Without Government Cooperation

Schabas Vows To Investigate Israel For U.N. With Or Without Government Cooperation. (Matzav).

Prof. William Schabas, selected to head the United Nations Human Rights Council inquiry into Israel’s Operation Protective Edge, has vowed to conduct his investigation with or without the cooperation of the Israeli government.

Schabas’s U.N. appointment has come under fire over his perceived bias against Israel.

“I might even come to Israel to examine things from up close,” he told Israel’s Channel 2. “When the U.N. gives us its final approval-and we hope this will be very soon-we will begin our work. It’s very important for us to come to Israel, but this visit won’t be important if the authorities in Israel don’t cooperate with us, despite my hope that they will cooperate.”

In the past, Schabas has made comments implying that Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu needs to be brought before an international tribunal for war crimes.

In response, Israeli officials have called the U.N. inquiry “a kangaroo court.” Israel has also called for Schabas’s replacement, but he has vowed to remain in the lead role for the investigation.


In a 2009 blog post, Schabas wrote that the world should not just ignore” Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s statements, but to stop "exaggerating" them. "Those who deserve the blame are “Israel and its friends, who have manipulated the truth about the nature of the work of the United Nations by gross exaggeration of the role and intervention of certain fanatics," Schabas said .

In 2011, Schabas went to Iran, to co-sponsor conferences with the Tehran-based Center for Human Rights and Cultural Diversity, where he was keynote speaker. The center has close ties with former Iranian president President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Obama 'Admin' Approves $320 Million Missile Sale to Turkey, refuses hell fire missiles to Israel.

Obama 'Admin' Approves $320 Million Missile Sale to Turkey, refuses hell fire missiles to Israel.(RN).

The United States has approved the possible sale of Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) to Turkey following a request from the Turkish government, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a statement.

“The Turkish Air Force [TAF] intends to obtain these missiles to modernize its inventory, which will support its own air defense needs and improve its interoperability with the US and other NATO allies,” said the news release, published on the DSCA website.

The Turkish government has requested 145 AMRAAM missiles, 40 LAU-129 launchers and related support, test and training equipment, and spare parts. The total estimated cost of the deal is $320 million.

According to the DSCA statement, the implementation of the sale will involve US government and contractor company representatives taking multiple trips to the country to provide test and training activities.
“This notice of a potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded,” stressed the news release.

Turkey is one of Washington’s principal NATO allies. According to US European Command data, the United States has given Ankara more than $14 billion in military aid since the country joined NATO in 1952.Hmmm....Arming the two main Hamas allies Turkey and Qatar, while disarming Israel.

Related:  

Report: US Halted Transfer Of Hellfire Missiles To Israel

Video - Terrorist Hamas TV Report on Ongoing Rocket Production in Gaza, while US Denies Israel missiles!

Related:  

Report: US Halted Transfer Of Hellfire Missiles To Israel

UNHRC Declares Israel the Aggressor – BEFORE the Inquiry.

UNHRC Declares Israel the Aggressor – BEFORE the Inquiry. HT: Algemeiner.

Here is the statement from the UN Human Rights Council establishing a “commission of inquiry:”

The President of the Human Rights Council, Ambassador Baudelaire Ndong Ella (Gabon), announced today the appointment of Amal Alamuddin, Doudou Diène and William Schabas to serve as members of the independent, international commission of inquiry to investigate all violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, particularly in the occupied Gaza Strip, in the context of the military operations conducted since 13 June 2014. William Schabas will serve as Chair of the three-person commission mandated by the Council at its last special session.

June 13? Operation Protective Edge began on July 8. So why is the UN choosing June 13?
The answer tells you all you need to know about how biased the UNHRC is.

Hamas kidnapped and murdered Naftali Fraenkel, Gilad Shaer and Eyal Yifrah on June 12.
Israel started searching for them in the Hebron area on June 13.

The commission is being given a framework where they are supposed to believe that the kidnapping and murder were not acts of aggression, but Israel’s response was.

While it is true that the next paragraph tries to stave off this criticism by saying “whether before, during or after,” the very mention of that date and not the day before shows that its mandate “to establish the facts and circumstances of such violations and of the crimes perpetrated and to identify those responsible, …all with a view to avoiding and ending impunity and ensuring that those responsible are held accountable, and on ways and means to protect civilians against any further assaults” is directed only at Israel and not Hamas.
Hamas has never been accused of “impunity.” That is a NGO keyword that only applies to Israel in the context of this conflict.
This is not a mistake. Diplomats are very careful with statements like this, and using the words “military operations conducted since 13 June 2014″ shows that the UNHRC does not consider the kidnapping and murder of the teens to be within the mandate of the commission - only the Israeli response.

Kidnapping and targeting civilians is a war crime, by the way, so the choice of June 13 is a very deliberate attempt not only to portray Israel as the initiator of the hostilities but to whitewash Hamas war crimes.
The mandate for the Goldstone inquiry was more explicit in blaming Israel for starting the 2008-2009 war, calling to “dispatch an urgent, independent international fact-finding mission, to investigate all violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law by the occupying Power, Israel, against the Palestinian people, particularly in the occupied Gaza Strip” - even though Hamas had declared war on Israeli civilians two days before Cast Lead.

Creating a false framework is a favorite methodology of diplomats to stack the deck against Israel without having to lie. When a commission is told what to look for, they will generally not expand that mandate to look elsewhere. And this commission is being told clearly that Israel’s response to terror is not a response at all, but a military aggression for no other reason besides Israel being inherently aggressive.

Of course, it also means that the commission can include the West Bank in their kangaroo court so as to maximize Israel’s perceived aggression and minimize any importance of Hamas rockets and terror tunnels.

The UNHRC knew exactly what it was doing when it created this commission, and its anti-Israel bias is built in to whatever the report says just from the mandate itself, without even going into the obvious bias of a chair who refers to defenders of Israel’s right to exist as his “enemy.”

Read the full story at  The Algemeiner Journal

PM Netanyahu Comments on the UN Human Rights Council

PM Netanyahu Comments on the UN Human Rights Council. HT: IMRA.

PM Netanyahu Comments on the UN Human Rights Council
(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this afternoon (Wednesday, 13 August 2014), in his Jerusalem office, following his meeting with New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo referred to the UN Human Rights Council:

"The UN Human Rights Council gives legitimacy to murderous terrorist organizations such as Hamas and ISIS.

Instead of inquiring into Hamas's attacks on Israeli civilians and its use of the residents of Gaza as human shields and instead of inquiring into the massacres that Assad is perpetrating against the Syrian people or that ISIS is perpetrating against the Kurds, the UN has decided to come and check Israel – the only democracy in the Middle East, a democracy which is acting legitimately to defend its citizens against murderous terrorism.

The report of this committee has already been written. The committee chairman has already decided that Hamas is not a terrorist organization; therefore, they have nothing to look for here.

They should visit Damascus, Baghdad and Tripoli; they should go see ISIS, the Syrian army and Hamas – there they will find war crimes, not here."



Related:  In a 2009 blog post, Schabas wrote that the world should not just ignore” Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s statements, but to stop "exaggerating" them.

"Those who deserve the blame are “Israel and its friends, who have manipulated the truth about the nature of the work of the United Nations by gross exaggeration of the role and intervention of certain fanatics,"

So you know it now 'The Jews Deserve it'

Israel, U.S. and Canada Reject UNHRC's Gaza Panel, Alamuddin pulls out.

UN Human Rights Council continues to be a sham for advancing human rights; today’s ann't for members of its Gaza inquiry reveals its agenda.
— John Baird (@HonJohnBaird) August 11, 2014

It’s an utter shame, and will do nothing to promote peace and dignity in Gaza for the Palestinian people. 2/
— John Baird (@HonJohnBaird) August 11, 2014

Israel, U.S. Reject UNHRC's Gaza Panel, Alamuddin pulls out. (INN). HT: IsraelMatzav.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry blasts UNHRC panel on Gaza, says panel members have already made up their minds.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry blasted on Monday the newly appointed United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) panel that will investigate allegations that Israel violated humanitarian law in Gaza during Operation Protective Edge.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry noted that the appointment of Canadian professor William Schabas, who is known for his anti-Israel positions, means that the panel’s report has already been written.

Schabas has in the past called for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to be prosecuted for war crimes.
"The results are known in advance," a Foreign Ministry official said on Monday night.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor added, "If any further proof was required, the appointment of the chairman of the committee, whose views and positions against Israel are known to all, proves beyond any doubt that Israel cannot expect justice from such a body, and that the panel’s report has already been written and all that is left is to determine who will sign it.”

Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department joined in on the criticism on Monday, with deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf telling reporters that any investigation related to Gaza should be done in a way that is non-biased.

“We’ve always said that if there are specific incidents that need investigation, that we think they should be. We said that with UNRWA schools and we’ve said that in other cases as well,” she said.
At the same time, she added, “there’s a way to investigate things that’s not one-sided and biased, and there’s a way that we don’t support.”

Hillel Neuer, head of the Geneva-based advocacy group UN Watch, also called on Schabas to recuse himself from the commission because of his past criticisms of Netanyahu.

"Under international law, William Schabas is obliged to recuse himself because his repeated calls to indict Israeli leaders obviously gives rise to actual bias or the appearance thereof," Neuer said in a statement.

"You can't spend several years calling for the prosecution of someone, and then suddenly act as his judge. It's absurd — and a violation of the minimal rules of due process applicable to UN fact-finding missions."
Schabas mocked that call.

Even though UN Watch mocked her appointment as an attempt to "inject some Hollywood publicity" into the process, Schabas expressed support for Alamuddin — but that was before she pulled out.

"I was contacted by the UN about this for the first time this morning," Alamuddin said.

"I am honoured to have received the offer, but given existing commitments — including eight ongoing cases — unfortunately could not accept this role."

It wasn't immediately clear what caused the confusion, or if someone else would replace her.