Investigação da ONU Israel-Gaza é uma farsa

INVESTIGAÇÃO DA ONU EM ISRAEL-GAZA É UMA FARSA

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    We’re not surprised the UN Human Rights Council has appointed Canadian human rights professor William Schabas to head an international investigation into war crimes in the Israel-Gaza conflict.​

    The UNHRC includes a number of member countries which have no understanding of democracy or due process and whose view of the Mideast can be summed up in three words: They hate Israel.

     
    But we are surprised Schabas, a human rights and genocide expert, doesn’t appear to understand why he’s not an appropriate choice for the job.
    Schabas has called in the past for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former president Shimon Peres, 1994 co-winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, to be tried by the international criminal court for war crimes.
     
    In an interview on Israeli TV following his appointment, Schabas refused to describe Hamas as a terrorist organization, saying it wouldn’t be appropriate given his new role as head of the three-person inquiry, in which he must be “as neutral and objective ... as possible.”
     
    When the interviewer asked why the UN appears to have a double standard against Israel — given that it repeatedly ignores terrible war-time atrocities in other countries — Schabas conceded there were double standards due to global geo-politics.
     
    But he went on to argue many feel a double standard is applied to Israel at the UN Security Council because it “gets off rather light” there, presumably because of U.S. backing.
     
    Schabas is entitled to his views.
     
    But for the UNHRC to claim someone with his opinions is appropriate to lead an investigation into war crimes in the Israel-Gaza conflict is nonsense.
     
    While Schabas rejects criticism he’s biased against Israel, how can he possibly be genuinely objective, given the views he holds?
     
    Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird rightly commented on Twitter that, given these circumstances, the “UN Human Rights Council continues to be a sham for advancing human rights. It’s an utter shame and will do nothing to promote peace and dignity in Gaza for the Palestinian people.”
     
    Indeed, by appointing Schabas to head this inquiry, the UNHRC has given Israel the political cover it needs to reject its findings. This is not the path to peace in the Mideast.