U.N. Watch at work

U.N. WATCH
OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
GENEVA HEADQUARTERS
__________________________

At the United Nations, 2011 will be a challenging year. I want to brief you on what lies ahead, share highlights from the year that was, and ask you to please consider donating to ensure the vital work of UN Watch.

Consider, first, what’s being decided today. The U.N. General Assembly is expected to vote overwhelmingly to hold a “Durban 3” celebration in New York during September 2011, days after the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

As you know, the U.N.’s original Durban “anti-racism” conference, in 2001, turned into a festival of anti-Semitic and anti-American hatred, incited by PLO chief Yasser Arafat and other supporters of terrorism. It’s outrageous that anyone would now celebrate that event.

Consider, second, what will be going on all year at the U.N.’s Human Rights Council. Despite its name, this is an Orwellian body ruled by such repressive regimes as China, Cuba, Libya, and Saudi Arabia. The U.N. council routinely turns a blind eye to the world’s worst abuses, and instead scapegoats democratic Israel in 75% of its resolutions.

For much of 2011, the U.N. will be conducting a 5-year “review” of this council’s work. Diplomatic meetings, debates and negotiations, however, will all be a show. The majority has already made it clear that they will block any reform—and that the permanent agenda item targeting Israel will remain.

Consider, finally, the infamous Goldstone Report, which excoriated Israel for “war crimes” in Gaza, and exonerated Hamas. In 2011, the U.N. is planning to pursue the Report’s call for investigation of Israeli leaders such as Tzipi Livni.

It all adds up to this: 2011 will witness a dangerous attempt by bigots and bullies like Ahmadinejad and Qaddafi to hijack the cause of human rights, and to use it as a weapon against America, Israel and the free world.

With your support, however, UN Watch will fight back, countering lies with truth. We will vigorously defend the democratic values of our civilization, stand up to dictators, and expose double-standards.

Consider, , what UN Watch accomplished in the year that was:

• In March, UN Watch held the world’s worst abusers to account by organizing a global summit of courageous champions of human rights—individuals victimized by regimes like North Korea, Iran, China, Burma, Zimbabwe, Cuba, and Venezuela. The Wall Street Journal dedicated an entire editorial praising our event, while 25 other newspapers reported on it worldwide. Global impact for our truth-telling message.

• In May, when the regime of Libyan dictator Moammar Qaddafi was elected to the U.N. Human Rights Council, UN Watch led 40 human rights groups to demand Libya be expelled. In the council’s September session, when Libya took its seat for the first time, UN Watch brought the most famous victims of Libyan murder and torture, including the head of the Pan Am Flight 103 Victims Association, to speak out. Libya and its allies desperately tried to silence our witnesses, but failed. Our campaign has been covered worldwide by major media, including Agence France-Presse, Voice of America, CBS News, and Radio Netherlands.

• In October, UN Watch organized an international campaign to demand the resignation of Christian Tomuschat. He’s the German law professor who headed the U.N.’s “Goldstone II” committee. Despite his claim to be “objective,” we exposed Professor Tomuschat’s numerous writings that depict Israeli actions as “World War II barbarism” and “state terrorism.” UN Watch was the only one to challenge Tomuschat for bias when he appeared at the council debate, forcing him to answer for his actions before the international media. In the end, thanks to UN Watch, he resigned. A rare victory for the rule of law!

That’s why the work of UN Watch will be so vital in 2011. And that’s why I’m asking for your financial support. Please send a secure online donation now so we can continue to speak truth to power. It’s wrong for human rights, democracy, and truth to be hijacked by the world’s worst abusers and their apologists. And I know you won’t tolerate it.

Any donation, $100, $500, $1,000 or whatever you can give, will make a true difference.

Thank you so much for your support.

Yours truly,

Hillel C. Neuer
Executive Director

NOW HOW ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE…