Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Sorry, Serry, I Can't Tolerate UN Hypocrisy

The Dutch term for hypocrisy seems to be either huichelachtigheid, schijnheiligheid or plain hypocrisie. I just want to make sure Mr. Serry gets my point.

Robert Serry is the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. I heard him almost a year ago. He has has expressed concern over Israel's inclusion of Hebron's Cave of the Patriarchs and Bethlehem's Rachel’s Tomb in the National Heritage Plan. He claims as a result of this announcement that there are

"heightened tensions."


The official source is here for this:

"These sites are in occupied Palestinian territory and are of historical and religious significance not only to Judaism but also to Islam, and to Christianity as well. I urge Israel not to take any steps on the ground which undermine trust or could prejudice negotiations, the resumption of which should be the highest shared priority of all who seek peace."


And this from the UN spokesperson's office at the press conference:

Question: Regarding the presentation done by Mr. Serry, is he going to make any further contacts, Robert Serry, on Hebron and the recent attachments? Is he going to do any further contacts with the Israeli Government to rescind these decisions?

Spokesperson: Well, as I said, I’ve read out the statement, which you also have available, and he is obviously speaking to the authorities, the Palestinian Authority, and speaking to the Israeli Government the whole time. So, I would not rule that out. But, for the moment what we have is what is in the statement, which is that he is very concerned about it and he is urging Israel not to take any steps on the ground that could undermine trust or prejudice the negotiations.

Question: Besides such statements, is the Secretary-General going to do something about it, through the Quartet or through making any special contacts with the Israeli authorities…?

Spokesperson: Well, at the moment, the most import thing is we have the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Robert Serry. He is on the ground. That’s his job; to engage with the Israeli authorities and with the Palestinian Authority and with other in the region. And I think that that’s the right chain of command, if you like, for the moment.


Well, Mr. Serry, let's get back to huichelachtigheid or whatever. I won't even get into that "occupied Palestinian territory" mantra. So uncouth. Let's talk about what "significance" really means.

You denounce Israel's declaration of a heritage preservation program while at the same time the UN and you ignore the desecration and destruction of Judaism's most sacred religious, cultural and historical site: the Temple Mount. The Waqf Islamic Trust seeks to erase, and has been fairly successful over the years, all Jewish identity connected with that site. That's not significant?

Earth has been dumped out, left for Jews to sift through. Remains have been covered over or outright defaced and destroyed. That has no significance?

The UN should have been the first institution to come to our aid and assistance when those things occurred and while they continue to happen. And here are the warmongerers.

I don't understand why there hasn't yet been a demonstration or protest vigil outside your offices.

But there will be a Temple Mount Awareness Day soon.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Here's the government reaction:

Response to Attacks against the State of Israel Regarding the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Rachel's Tomb
(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

The following is in response to the attacks against the State of Israel regarding the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Rachel's Tomb:

"This is a mendacious and hypocritical campaign. The State of Israel is committed to freedom of religion for worshippers of all faiths at the holy places and thus it acts in practice.

Rachel's Tomb and the Tomb of the Patriarchs – the over 3,500-year old resting places of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs of the Jewish People: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, Leah and Rachel – certainly deserve preservation and rehabilitation.

The entrance plaza and path that lead to the Islamic prayer room at the Tomb of the Patriarchs are currently refurbished. Israel will similarly maintain the site used by Jews who go to the Tomb of the Patriarchs."