Bush forces UN refugee chief to go

[emad]

Guardian

Israeli pressure backed by conservative and Jewish groups in US stops reappointment of controversial head of relief agency

Chris McGreal in Gaza City
Thursday January 20, 2005
The Guardian

The Bush administration has blocked the reappointment of the UN's Palestinian refugee agency chief, Peter Hansen, after a campaign by conservative and Jewish groups in the US, and the government in Jerusalem which accused him of being an "Israel hater".
Some European and Arab governments were keen for Mr Hansen to stay on at the end of his nine-year tenure but the US supported Israel's assertion that the head of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) is biased and soft on "terrorists". This week Mr Hansen sent an email to staff saying he will leave on March 31.

Yesterday, the UNRWA chief declined to discuss his failure to be reappointed but did say he believes politically motivated opposition played a role in his removal.

"I was willing to stay. There are certain facts about the views of certain groups in the US and Israel about how I have carried out my functions and those groups influenced the decision not to reappoint me," he said.

Mr Hansen infuriated the Israeli government with public criticisms of the military's wholesale destruction of Palestinian homes which he described as a grave breach of international humanitarian law.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,1394439,00.html

[UL_Approved]

1. Israel is trying to play the anti-Semite line

They try to say that any criticism of Israel is a criticism of all Jews the world over. Very similar to Bush after 9/11 with regards to reporters asking questions. The Sharon govt. has perfected the use of scathing globalization of specific issues. He has it down that ALL citizens of Israel are in the military, that ALL Muslims in Palestine are terrorists, and that any criticism of his policies is an attack or racist gesture of ALL Jews. Such is the sad state of affairs surrounding nearly all accessible media outlets that cover such news.

[MrPrax]

2. True...

But then again, what other choice does Israel have but to play this card.

It's not like their actions and policies can stand up to even casual scrutiny anymore...how can you 'spin' some gun-toting religious racial fanatic who moved from the US five years ago, barking about how the illegal settlement he is living in, is a legitimate claim over people who have title deeds going back hundreds of years?

You have to dehumanize and manipulate the western racial narrative of 'superiority', 'civilization' and 'destiny'?