AJC Urges Removal of UN Rapporteur Richard Falk

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Jun 16, 2010, 01:53 ET

NEW YORK, June 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AJC urges the immediate removal of Richard Falk, the UN Human Rights Council's Special Rapporteur on the Palestinians, after he expressed support in an official UN report for the international BDS ("Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions") campaign against Israel.

"Richard Falk exemplifies the persistent problem of the UN when it comes to the Middle East: too many officials who dress up their hatred of Israel – and only Israel – in the language of human rights," said AJC Executive Director David Harris. "For Falk to use the UN's imprimatur in calling for BDS constitutes an unforgivable attack on Israel, a UN member state, and a stain on the UN itself. If the UN Human Rights Council is to become worthy of its name, Falk's removal would be an important step in that direction."

Falk, an American academic who was appointed to his position in 2008, has a long record of animosity toward Israel. His open support of Hamas has also led the Palestinian Authority to urge his removal.

Falk's controversial statements include an endorsement of conspiracy theories concerning the 9/11 terrorist atrocities. "Any student of 9/11 is aware of the many serious discrepancies between the official version of what took place and the actual happenings on that fateful day in 2001," he said last year.

SOURCE American Jewish Committee