UN Watch Briefing

Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, Washington's envoy to the UN, won plaudits after the U.S. cast the sole opposing vote on a UN budget that allocates $7 million for a series of global conferences on racism organized by Libya, Iran, Cuba, and other countries often criticized for their poor human rights records. Forty other states, including members of the European Union and Canada, objected to the Durban Review Conference in a separate vote, but only the U.S. opposed the general budget, which for the past twenty years had passed by consensus.

The original Durban gathering of September 2001 was officially a conference against racism, but became notorious for its ugly displays of anti-Semitic caricatures, demonstrations and declarations. Preparations for the 2009 sequel began this past August after the election of Libya as Chair, with Islamic and other states now planning two years of global conferences where they will introduce new accusations against the West for racism and the "defamation of Islam." The first major gatherin -- paid for largely by the West, including U.S. taxpayers (despite Washington's symbolic vote) -- opens in April 2008. More

Reciting a rhyming poem of his own composition, Palestinian representative Mohammad Abu-Koash told the plenary of the UN Human Rights Council that Israelis were as racist the Nazis. No Council member rose to voice any objections. “Mr. Jail Man," he addressed the Jewish state, "don’t you understand? Scars of concentration camps mark your hand." For full text and video, click here.

Sudan’s state-controlled media celebrated an “excellent” victory at the UN Human Rights Council after the 47-nation body agreed by consensus to end the mission of a group of seven experts charged with reporting on Khartoum’s abuses in Darfur. By turning its back on the victims of one of the world's worst crimes, the Council—dominated by repressive regimes and regional blocs allied to Sudan—is failing its basic mandate. More  

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Speaking on behalf of UN Watch, Fellow Toby Frankenstein urged continued scrutiny of Sudan’s atrocities. Fortunately, the Council did extend the mandate of Sima Sumar, a UN investigator on Sudan. But the more influential expert group on Darfur was eliminated, prompting the Sudanese regime to celebrate.