Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., October 15, 2007 , | | Israel Time: 15:05 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Print Edition
Diplomacy
Defense Arts & Leisure Real Estate Jewish World National Advertising
Magazine Week's End Business Opinion Rosner's Domain Anglo File Books Travel
Canadian Ambassador to Israel Jon Allen welcoming Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Minister of Internal Security Avi Dichter to Canada Day celebrations in Ramat Gan on Wednesday night. (Motti Kimche)
del.icio.us
Digg It!  new
Last update - 15:15 28/06/2007
FM Livni, Canadian Ambassador slam UNHRC's stance on Israel
By Lisa Zilberpriver

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni criticized the United Nations Human Rights Council on Wednesday for its decision to single out Israel for repeated criticism.

"There is no connection between the United Nations Human Rights Council and human rights," said Livni, in an address to dignitaries and officials at Canada Day celebrations in Ramat Gan.

The foreign minister thanked Canada for being the only one of the council's 47 members to vote against its decision last week to place Israel on its permanent agenda.
Advertisement
"It's easy to be a friend of Canada, and difficult to be a friend of Israel," she said, adding Israel needs allies who are willing to stand up for it.

"These are not diplomatic words, and I hope the diplomats here will take it as an example," continued the foreign minister.

Canadian ambassador to Israel, Jon Allen, told Haaretz that Canada had protested the council's announcement of a unanimous decision to keep Israel on the permanent agenda.

"Canada took a strong stance and voted no, and notwithstanding the chairman went ahead and declared a consensus," Allen said.

"Israel should not be singled out when countries like Belarus and Sudan are ignored," the ambassador said, adding that Canada supported a two-state solution but believed in Israel's right to defend itself in a "tough neighborhood."

Public Security Minister Avi Dichter described Canada as a "real friend" of Israel.

He recalled his March meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, in which the PM vowed to maintain a tough stance on terrorism. "I hope Canada will never face what we face in Israel," Dichter told guests at the celebrations, which were held at the Diamond Exchange.

"A network of evil can only be defeated by a network of democratic countries like Canada and Israel," he said.

The Human Rights Council, based in Geneva, was formed approximately a year ago as part of a reform initiated by former UN secretary general Kofi Annan.

The UN voted to replace the Human Rights Commission with the council in an attempt to address both criticisms of the commission's composition, which frequently included some of the world's worst human rights abusers, and what Annan once termed its excessive focus on Israel
Bookmark to del.icio.us
Public discontent
Teachers are replacing port workers in the public's mind as the 'serial national strikers.'
Bad for academia?
A Haifa professor says funding from corporations gives rise to some ethical conundrums.
  1.   Canada 13:27  |  Dan 28/06/07
  2.   The UNHRC is a complete and total joke 13:43  |  Evan 28/06/07
  3.   He`s right...Israel no different from other human rights abusers 13:54  |  Tim 28/06/07
  4.   nicely done 13:58  |  Giusseppe 28/06/07
  5.   Kudos to the author!! 14:09  |  Moosehead lager 28/06/07
  6.   CANADA. 14:13  |  DANNY 28/06/07
  7.   THE UNHRC SHOULD GO IN DRED 14:14  |  DANNY. 28/06/07
  8.   # 1 Dan 14:23  |  Tony 28/06/07
  9.   tim 14:24  |  bev 28/06/07
  10.   ashamed to be canadian 14:42  |  daniel 28/06/07
  11.   it must be either Iran or Syria behind it 14:51  |  Rimon 28/06/07
  12.   #3 He`s right - but you are not 14:55  |  Kate 28/06/07
  13.   UNHRA uses `The Terrorists` Guide to Doubletalk` 14:58  |  Ian 28/06/07
  14.   The United Nations - Repeat. 14:59  |  Ali bin Abu ibn Abd 28/06/07
  15.   to daniel 15:02  |  Sol 28/06/07
  16.   Under Premier Mr. Harper Canada returned to a fair relationship 15:03  |  Vittorio 28/06/07
  17.   THOSE UNHCR clowns are removing the little credibility the UN has 15:07  |  PETER SM 28/06/07
  18.   THOSE UNHCR clowns are removing the little credibility the UN has 15:07  |  PETER SM 28/06/07
  19.   Israel is a human rights abuser 15:11  |  Carol 28/06/07
  20.   RIMON No Syria and Iran are shining examples of human rights. 15:12  |  PETER SM 28/06/07
  21.   I will bless those that bless you 15:15  |  John 28/06/07
  22.   Proud to be Canadian 15:19  |  Steve 28/06/07
  23.   Canada 15:21  |  stu 28/06/07
  24.   Oh Canada :o( 15:26  |  Derek 28/06/07
  25.   As ye do, so shall ye be done by 15:32  |  Natallie Durson 28/06/07
  26.   to 15 Sol 15:35  |  Derek 28/06/07
  27.   # 3 daniel in montreal 15:42  |  Lynn 28/06/07
  28.   # 12 Kate 15:44  |  collateral damage 28/06/07
  29.   Kudos to the Harper government`s non-onthe-fence stance 15:44  |  Richard S 28/06/07
  30.   UNHRC:UNderHandRecurringCriticism 15:44  |  Anne A Gram 28/06/07
  31.   Tony - Ottowa 15:49  |  Nik Miller 28/06/07
  32.   SO PROUD TO BE A CANADIAN UNDER THE HARPER GOV 16:10  |  don 28/06/07
  33.   Please Natallie... 16:16  |  Greg 28/06/07
  34.   It`s easy Natalie, Israel stands up to bullies 16:17  |  Jacob Blues 28/06/07
  35.   vittorio 16:18  |  bev 28/06/07
  36.   #25 Natallie D 16:19  |  Itsik 28/06/07
  37.   Ashamed to be Canadian 16:21  |  Canadian 28/06/07
  38.   #12 Kate 16:41  |  Dom 28/06/07
  39.   UN Human Rights 16:46  |  Kevin 28/06/07
  40.   Durson..... 16:46  |  Lynn 28/06/07
  41.   unhrc 16:50  |  Space 28/06/07
  42.   Proud of my Prime Minister 16:58  |  Howard 28/06/07
  43.   bushytailed folllwet 16:58  |  elias 28/06/07
  44.   # 37 Canadian..where will you be on 6-29-07? 16:59  |  Lynn 28/06/07
  45.   a great day to be canadian 17:15  |  alan 28/06/07
  46.   What does Bush have to do with this? 17:32  |  John 28/06/07
  47.   VERY proud day to be Canadian 17:38  |  Jacob 28/06/07
  48.   Kevin makes an intersting point 17:38  |  Jacob Blues 28/06/07
  49.   #35 Bev 17:43  |  Aaron 28/06/07
  50.   Canada Park//// 17:45  |  Joe 28/06/07
  51.   #37 Canadian who is "Ashamed to be Canadian" should relocate to.. 17:50  |  Vittorio 28/06/07
  52.   daniel for montreal - 1/2 the picture 17:53  |  jase 28/06/07
  53.   Space #41 18:09  |  Peter 28/06/07
  54.   #28 Tragedy vs Abuse 18:14  |  Kate 28/06/07
  55.   Natalie D. #9 18:20  |  Polybios 28/06/07
  56.   UNHRC is right 18:25  |  Janice 28/06/07
  57.   Tony # 8 18:31  |  ChanahS 28/06/07
  58.   Pround of PM Harper 18:33  |  Steve 28/06/07
  59.   Natalie 25 - yes it can 18:36  |  ChanahS 28/06/07
  60.   collateral damage 18:39  |  ChanahS 28/06/07
  61.   Longstanding Canadian tradition 18:39  |  Moe 28/06/07
  62.   #50 Believing everything you read 18:42  |  Kate 28/06/07
  63.   Janice #56 - it`s not whining, it`s called justice! 18:43  |  William 28/06/07
  64.   #37 Ashamed 18:49  |  Andy 28/06/07
  65.   Don`t make the Arabs angry 18:57  |  MichaelF 28/06/07
  66.   Kudos to Canada and Prime Minister Stephen Harper! 19:04  |  Gina 28/06/07
  67.   No correlation 19:12  |  Will 28/06/07
  68.   "Canadian" -- that you, Khalid? 19:17  |  Gina 28/06/07
  69.   Kevin 19:20  |  Gina 28/06/07
  70.   Janice 19:27  |  Gina 28/06/07
  71.   Slam the Swiss, Dutch, Germans, French, etc., who capitulated. 19:46  |  nacl 28/06/07
  72.   Canada`s PM is a leader with principles. 19:54  |  phillipe theodosius 28/06/07
  73.   Lynn #44 19:59  |  Pauline 28/06/07
  74.   Re #62 Kate 20:04  |  Joe 28/06/07
  75.   #50 joe 20:06  |  wh 28/06/07
  76.   #62 Kate...sorry to rain on your parade 20:08  |  Tim 28/06/07
  77.   the world hypocricy 20:16  |  greenfeld 28/06/07
  78.   # 73 Pauline 20:17  |  Lynn 28/06/07
  79.   Natallie Durson 20:22  |  Gina 28/06/07
  80.   #74 Lost & Found 20:26  |  Kate 28/06/07
  81.   Tim #76 - I`d really love to know who this journalist is... 20:53  |  William 28/06/07
  82.   Proud of Canada`s stance, ashamed of most Canadians` idiocy pt. 1 21:14  |  Jon