Richard Falk gets his comuppence

Thursday, Jan. 20: UN Watch takes action and files complaint with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, demanding he condemn Richard Falk, the U.N. Human Rights Council’s permanent investigator on “Israel’s violations of the principles of international law,” for his latest remarks suggesting that the U.S. government — and not Al Qaeda terrorists — destroyed the World Trade Center. The protest came as part of UN Watch’s 3-year campaign to expose and combat Falk’s denial and justification of Hamas and Al Qaeda terrorism, and his material support for 9/11 conspiracy theorists. At the daily U.N. press briefing, when Matthew Lee of Inner City Press asks for a response, the Secretary-General’s spokesman says they don’t comment on independent experts.

Friday, Jan. 21: The New York Daily News picks up the story and publishes editorial: “When will the lunacy reach such heights that UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon realizes his so-called Human Rights Council is wrecking what little reputation the world body has left?  … Ignore those jetliners crashing into the towers, is Falk’s advice. Who are you going to believe, your own eyes or him and his friends? Ban should ring down the curtain on this grotesque buffoonery. He should force out Falk forthwith…“

Monday, Jan. 24: The United Nations sends letter to UN Watch with unprecedented condemnation of a U.N. Human Rights Council official : “The Secretary-General condemns [Falk’s] remarks. He has repeatedly stated his view that any such suggestion is preposterous — and an affront to the memory of the more than 3,000 people who died in the attack.” UN Watch immediately releases the letter to the public, and calls for the U.N. to fire Falk.

Tuesday, Jan. 25: U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice condemns Falk and echoes UN Watch’s call for him to be fired: “Mr. Falk’s comments are despicable and deeply offensive, and I condemn them in the strongest terms… The United States is deeply committed to the cause of human rights and believes that cause will be better advanced without Mr. Falk and the distasteful sideshow he has chosen to create.” Ambassador Eileen C. Donahoe, the U.S. envoy to the Human Rights Council, also speaks out.

On the same day, in a Geneva address to the member and observer states of the Human Rights Council, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon repeats his condemnation of Falk: “Recently, there was a Special Rapporteur who suggested there was an ‘apparent cover-up’ in the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. I want to tell you, clearly and directly. I condemn this sort of inflammatory rhetoric. It is preposterous – an affront to the memory of the more than 3,000 people who died in that tragic terrorist attack.” Click for Video

SUCCESS: UN Watch’s campaign led to the unprecedented international condemation of Richard Falk, who exploits his U.N. position to justify and deny Hamas and Al Qaeda terrorism. It sparked dozens of news stories worldwide, as shown in the sample below. All of this succeeded in finally puncturing Falk’s undeserved halo as a “human rights expert.” For the first time ever, the U.N. itself had condemned Falk, and in the strongest terms. As a result, Falk’s credibility in the international arena is now at zero.

U.S. says U.N. expert should be fired for Sept 11 remarks