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to include the National Religious Party. This will put a serious brake on the possibility of implementing any extreme Shinui demands for cutting the bond between religion and the state. While Nelson Mandela has long been an icon of the Western media, supporters of Israel have not shared that enthusiasm. As is so often the case, it turns out that a man's attitude toward Israel offers insight into his character. Recently, Mandela's less attractive side has become visible, as he attacked the U.S. in a fashion both simple minded and incendiary. Mandela claims Bush and Blair are trying to undermine the UN out of racism: "Is it because the secretary-general of the United Nations is now a black man? They never did that when secretary-generals were white." All that Bush wants, said Mandela, "is Iraqi oil." In a speech before the International Women's Forum, Mandela urged massive protests against Bush. "If there is a country that has committed unspeakable atrocities in the world, it is the United States of America. They don't care for human beings." "One power," said Mandela, "with a president who has no foresight and cannot think properly, is now wanting to plunge the world into a holocaust."
Under the headline "Anti-War Demonstrations," the London Observer reported "In Gaza City, 3500 Palestinians marched under Iraqi flags, shouting "Beloved Saddam, strike Tel Aviv." As Observer reader Denis Vandervelde noted, "The Observer has an unsuspected sense of humour."
Much has been written about Libya's taking over the chair of the UN Human Rights Commission and Iraq becoming chair of the UN Disarmament Commission in May. But as Anne Bayefsky points out in The National Post (Canada), few are aware that Israel is the only UN member state deprived of participatory rights on UN commissions.
Israel is the only UN member state denied membership in any of the five regional groupings which elect UN bodies in Geneva. Although Israel qualifies for membership in the Western European and Others Group (WEOG), which includes Canada and Australia, Bayefsky notes "WEOG, driven by states such as France, refuses to admit Israel to its Geneva operations." The only remaining Israeli on a UN body anywhere is Mayer Gabay, vice-chair of the UN Administrative Tribunal. His term ends in December and he cannot stand for re-election.
And so, as Bayevsky writes, "Algeria, Bahrain, China, Cuba, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria and Zimbabwe pass judgement on human rights at the UN Commission on Human Rights. China, Cuba, Egypt, Iran, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates specialize in the rights of women at the UN Commission on the Status of Women. Iran is one of five members on the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. Libya, Saudi Arabia and Sudan scrutinize the implementation of labour standards on the Governing Council of the International Labour Organization. In the meantime, representatives and experts from the democratic and Jewish state of Israel are disqualified, blackballed or left standing in the halls of UN bodies everywhere."
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Outpost - 12 - March 2003