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Louise Arbour, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights,
Arbour backs Arab charter calling for end to Zionism
By OnTheWeb Wednesday, January 30, 2008UNITED NATIONS—Louise Arbour, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, has thrown her support behind a major pan-Arab human rights charter that commits to the elimination of Zionism.
Some critics say the wording is code for the destruction of Israel, but in a statement from her Geneva headquarters, the former justice of the Supreme Court of Canada welcomes the Arab Charter on Human Rights, which will come into force in mid-March.
“Regional systems of promotion and protection can further help strengthen the enjoyment of human rights, and the… charter is an important step forward in this direction,” Arbour says.
While the document demands respect for a host of internationally recognized human rights, its references to Zionism concern leading human rights activist groups, including Amnesty International, International Commission of Jurists and UN Watch.
The charter’s preamble speaks of “rejecting all forms of racism and Zionism,” alleging they violate human rights and threaten international peace and security. Article 2 of the 53-article document says “all forms of racism, Zionism and foreign occupation and domination” should be “condemned and efforts must be deployed for their elimination.”
