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Jewish Groups Slam UN Official Falk for Blaming Boston Marathon Explosions on U.S. and Israel
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by JNS.org
Richard Falk (pictured), a special rapporteur for the UN Human Rights Council, blamed the Boston Marathon explosions on the U.S. and Israel. Photo: UN Watch.
Jewish organizations are calling for Richard Falk of the United Nations to step down following comments he made in an online essay suggesting that U.S. and Israeli policies were responsible for the Boston Marathon explosions.
Falk, who serves as a special rapporteur for the Palestinian territories with the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), wrote in an article titled “A Commentary on the Marathon Murders” on the Foreign Policy Journal website that the Boston Marathon explosions were “retribution” for the actions of the U.S. military in the Middle East, which he considers part of the “the American global domination project.”
Falk—who last fall issued a report calling for a boycott of companies doing business with Israel and in 2011 posted an anti-Semitic cartoon on his blog—also blamed Israel for the attacks, writing “[a]s long as Tel Aviv has the compliant ear of the American political establishment those who wish for peace and justice in the world should not rest easy.”
American Jewish Committee Executive Director David Harris questioned the UN’s judgment in allowing someone like Falk to serve for the international body.
“Given his public record, the question is why Richard Falk still occupies a UN position. Is there no shame?” Harris said in a statement.
“Falk’s latest commentary demonstrates his total insensitivity to the victims of the terror attacks in Boston,” Harris added. “His malicious propaganda regarding the U.S. and Israel—and his glaring inability to see the stark truth about extremist violence and terrorism—has no place in any international body that takes itself and its mission seriously.”
B’nai B’rith International also called for Falk to be removed from his UN position.
“We once again call for Falk’s removal from his position within the UNHRC. His latest string of inflammatory remarks—whether it be on the Internet or in one of his “reports” to the council—has no place in the United Nations and his continued presence at the UNHRC further undermines the credibility of the system,” B’nai B’rith International said in a statement.
The watchdog group UN Watch also sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice urging them to “speak out” against Falk.
