The following Letter to the Editor was published in The Boston GlobeThe May 28 editorial “A rogues’ gallery at the UN’’ provides a useful opening to discuss the catastrophic failures of the United Nations Human Rights Council, but there is so much more to say. How can a global body that purports to protect human rights ignore some of the worst violators in the world? Places such as Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Sudan, and Zimbabwe are given a free pass as this charade of a human rights watchdog chases alleged transgressions by Israel.
Israel, a thriving democracy, has been the subject of more Human Rights Council inquiries than all other nations combined. In this spring’s session, the council adopted five anti-Israel resolutions. Compare that to one resolution each against some of the most notorious violators of human rights: Congo, Myanmar, Guinea, and North Korea.
The council knowingly uses Israel as a convenient scapegoat to obfuscate an abysmal record of defending and protecting global human rights. It’s a travesty that the council fiddles while too many global fires of abuse burn bright.
Daniel S. Mariaschin
Executive vice president
B’nai B’rith International
