The following remarks were presented by B'nai B'rith International primary Geneva Representative Klaus Netter at the  United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on behalf of B'nai B'rith International and the Coordinating Board of Jewish Organizations on Sept. 27, 2010 regarding the biased nature of the Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza flotilla incident.

UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL - 15TH SESSION - ITEM 7

Statement by B’nai B’rith International and the Coordinating Board of Jewish Organizations

Read by Klaus Netter, Sept. 27, 2010

Mr President:

Allow me briefly to refer to the report of the Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza flotilla incident issued last week.  It follows the time-honoured tradition of this Council to order an inquiry whose results are already pre-ordained in the enabling resolution.  Thus, Resolution 14/1 calls on the mission "to investigate violations of international law ... resulting from the Israeli attacks on the flotilla of ships carrying humanitarian assistance." The report just issued faithfully reflects this one-sided mandate.  It stands in stark contrast to the parallel inquiry on the same incident ordered by the Secretary General, inviting a panel of experts including members representing both sides of that conflict. Quite apart from the substantive difference between the two mandates and the composition of their respective panels, this wasteful procedure within the UN on one and the same issue discredits the entire Organization in the eyes of the public.

Mr President, numerous speakers have repeated their traditional condemnations of Israel without encouraging both sides to make the painful sacrifices needed to bring the current peace process to a successful conclusion.  In this context allow me to quote from President Obama's speech before the General Assembly last week: "...nations within this body do the Palestinians no favors when they choose vitriolic attacks against Israel over constructive willingness to recognize Israel's legitimacy and its right to exist in peace and security. "

Before closing, Mr President, let me express the hope that the Review Process of this Council due  next year should not be hamstrung by the  Institution-Building Package, but  should rather open the way for revising the selective agenda which until now singles out Israel for unique attention under  item 7.  Such a revision would go a long way in avoiding the repetition of the lack of credibility that attached to the defunct Commission on Human Rights.

 Thank you, Mr President.