Haaretz: Obama award to Israel critic encourages hate

[MikeWB]

Obama award to Israel critic encourages hate

By Cnaan Liphshiz and Natasha Mozgovaya, Haaretz Correspondents

Tags: Israel News, Jewish World, UN


The controversial honor that U.S. President Barack Obama bestowed Wednesday on former Irish leader Mary Robinson, a fierce critic of Israel, elicited strongly-worded condemnations from European Jewish institutions, with the European Jewish Congress saying the move encouraged hate.

"Today's honor will provide additional fodder for those who choose to hate," said Dr. Moshe Kantor, president of the EJC, of Obama's decision to award Robinson the American Presidential Medal of Freedom. Kantor cited Robinson's role in the United Nations' World Conference against Racism in Durban in 2001, over which she presided as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

"The blatantly anti-Semitic and anti-Israel" Durban conference took place "during Robinson's shameful tenure" and "during her watch," said Kantor, who heads the umbrella group for Europe's major Jewish bodies.
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In 2001, Robinson - who is not Jewish - criticized the anti-Semitic rhetoric at Durban, and even declared "I am a Jew" at a dinner for delegates from nongovernmental organizations.

But Kantor nonetheless said that "Robinson does not meet the same standards as other world leaders who have been honored with the Presidential Medal."

Is "providing platforms for anti-Semitism and Holocaust deniers" Washington's "new standard of human rights?" he demanded.

Last week, Robinson accused Jewish compatriots who opposed the award of "bullying" people who support Palestinians. Jonathan Hoffman, co-vice chair of Britain and Ireland's Zionist Federation, responded to Haaretz that "Robinson's paranoid delusions about Jews are her problem."

Tom Carew, chair of the Ireland-Israel Friendship League, told Haaretz that honoring Robinson gave credence to the "highly anti-Semitic" Durban conference.

"Robinson, so critical herself, seems to think she's beyond criticism," he added.

Meanwhile, a Jewish former U.S. ambassador to the UN commission praised Obama's decision, saying she had witnessed firsthand Robinson's committment to human rights.

"As a Jewish American who affirms that defending human rights of all is a basic tenant of my faith, I wholeheartedly endorse your recognition of Mary Robinson for the narrative of her life," the former ambassador, Nancy Rubin, wrote in a letter to Obama.

We in the Jewish community know it is critical to recognize and support human rights leaders who will speak out for vulnerable populations - not only because it is right but because our community has counted on them to speak out in the past and may need them to do so yet again," she added