UN investigator: Israel engaged in ethnic cleansing with settlement expansion

[Poll_Blind]

From Haaretz:

U.S. academic Richard Falk spoke to UN Human Rights Council as it prepared resolution condemning settlement building in East Jerusalem and West Bank.

Israel's expansion of settlements in East Jerusalem and eviction of Palestinians from their homes there is a form of ethnic cleansing, a United Nations investigator said on Monday.

United States academic Richard Falk was speaking to the UN Human Rights Council as it prepared to pass resolutions condemning settlement building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The "continued pattern of settlement expansion in East Jerusalem combined with the forcible eviction of long-residing Palestinians are creating an intolerable situation" in the part of the city previously controlled by Jordan, he said.

This situation "can only be described in its cumulative impact as a form of ethnic cleansing," Falk declared.

--snip--

PB

[Avant Guardian]

1. Norman Goldman wont like hearing this

He supports everything the Israelis have done in the occupied territories thus far. Will be interesting what excuses he makes this time.

[inademv]

2. blood libel, blood libel everywhere

Why does Goldman have any credibility in the first place? I'm only aware of him from his victim complex whenever anyone says something not positive about Israel.

[louis-t]

3. B-b-b-but Sarah says it's a GOOD thing!1!!11

x(

[azurnoir]

4. the liberal's liberal Anthony Weiner says that Israel is not occupying

Palestinian land


http://www.observer.com/2011/politics/weiner-tries-israel-progressives-not-occupier-settlements-not-palestinian-territory

[henank]

5. Falk certainly knows his ethnic cleansing

He couldn't find a bad word to say about Ayatollah Homeini.

The man is a biased bigot. If he cannot tell the difference between people moving into homes that they have bought, in their own country's capital, and whose possession of said houses has been authorised by the Israeli courts - whose impartiality is famous worldwide - and between ethnic cleansing of the sort seen when the Arabs expelled their Jewish populations, then he needs at the very least a new pair of glasses.

[King_David]

6. Why does the UN continue to be represented by bigots?

Maybe they can get Gaddafi to take over his job afterall he is soon to be unemployed ?

[henank]

8. I think Libya already has a full time job

as chair of the Human Rights (or should I say "wrongs"?) Council. We'll have to find another bigot now if Gaddafi has to go into hiding. We can't have a democratic country leading the HRC, that would never do. The UN wouldn't get over the shock.

[azurnoir]

9. Libya was ousted fom the UNHRC weeks ago

but don't let that stop you

[shira]

10. Whew, what a relief. Now the UNHRC rocks with Saudi Arabia, Cuba, & China!

Human rights victims rejoice!!!

[azurnoir]

7. UN: Massive increase in home demolitions

The latest numbers from the United Nations show a two-fold increase in the number of Palestinian homes and agricultural buildings destroyed by Israel order this year, causing concern among officials.

The UN Relief and Works Agency recorded 70 demolitions since the start of 2011, displacing 105 Palestinians, of whom 43 were under the age of 18. The demolitions were carried out across the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and ordered by Israeli police, municipal officials and by mandate of the Civil Administration.

Commenting on the jump, UNRWA spokesman in Jerusalem Chris Gunness told Ma'an that officials were concerned, comparing the number to the average of 24 demolitions per month since 2000, when the agency began monitoring.

The last two months in 2010, Gunness said in comparison, saw 29 structures demolished.

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=369913