Posted on 09/26/2005 10:40:07 AM PDT by SmithL
A UN rights expert on Monday said Israel's recent withdrawal of settlers and troops from the Gaza Strip has allowed the Jewish state to divert attention from its further expansion into east Jerusalem and Palestinian territories.
"This focus of attention on Gaza has allowed Israel to continue with the construction of the wall in Palestinian territory, the expansion of settlements and the de-Palestinization of Jerusalem with virtually no criticism," South African lawyer John Dugard, who monitors the Palestinian territories for the UN Human Rights Commission, said in a 19-page report.
Dugard prepares his regular reports during visits to the region. However, he receives no cooperation from the Israeli government, which says his mandate is one-sided.
Itzhak Levanon, Israel's ambassador to the U.N. offices in Geneva, immediately condemned the report as "distorted in its presentation, excessive in its political conclusions and a repetitive exercise in Israel-bashing."
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has reaped diplomatic rewards for ending the country's 38-year Gaza occupation of the Gaza Strip. In the past month, Qatar, Pakistan and Indonesia have held high-level public meetings with Israel - a rare event for Muslim countries - and Sharon met Friday with Jordan's King Abdullah II for their first talks in months.
Translation: "UN expert complains that there are still Jews alive and living in the Middle East."
So - what's wrong with that? It's their country. Leave them be.
Yeah, it's not like ALL OF JERUSALEM belongs to them. Well, actually to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but through Him, them.
They used the term expert and UN in the first sentence. I didn't read anything after that.
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