Arguably Antisemitic UN Rapporteur Claiming the Jewish State as 'Apartheid' Must be Arraigned for Defamation

March 28, 2022

The Simon Wiesenthal Center today called for a Canadian UN Diplomat with a history of anti-Semitic statements to be held accountable for issuing a biased report falsely claiming that Israel practices apartheid.

 

UN Special Rapporteur, Michael Lynk, concluded his six years of anti-Israel abuse by falsely accusing it of “apartheid” in his final report, issued in time for a debate at the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council on a resolution called “Item 7” which created an unfair and biased Commission of Inquiry (CoI) against Israel to investigate abuses against Palestinians. This new CoI marks the first time in UN history that a commission has been empaneled to investigate a nation with no end date and millions of dollars in annual funding.    

 

“SWC condemns Lynk’s biased, inaccurate report which bears false witness against the State of Israel,” said Dr. Shimon Samuels, SWC International Affairs Director. “The antisemitism of UN Rapporteurs or Committees of Inquiry focusing on the Jewish State are factors for Jew-hatred around the world. Thus they should be arraigned for defamation and incitement to violence.”

 

“While we are not surprised by Lynk’s false claims and inciting language it serves as more evidence of the constant unfairness and biased actions by the UN Human Rights Council against Israel – the only Jewish state in the world,” said Eric J. Greenberg, SWC’s Director of United Nations Relations and Strategic Partnerships, “By focusing on Israel, the Human Rights Council plays a game by distracting from extreme human rights abuses in China, Russia, Syria, among others. World citizens must open their eyes.”    

 

Lynk’s full title is “Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967.” His fails to mention the terrorist groups Hamas or Islamic Jihad.

Lynk’s report follows a report released last month by Amnesty International that also falsely accused Israel of apartheid.

SWC warned that the tactic of anti-Zionists and Jew haters  falsely accusing Israel of apartheid to isolate and delegitimize the Jewish State is increasing around the world.

“We must redouble our efforts to combat this dangerous and untrue charge which puts Jews and Israel at risk.’’  

For further information contact the Center’s Communications department at pressinquiries@wiesenthal.com, join the Center on Facebook, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sent directly to your Twitter feed.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is one of the largest international Jewish human rights organizations with over 400,000 member families in the United States. It is an NGO at international agencies including the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the OAS, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament (Parlatino).