Latest news with #InteractiveDialogue
Observer
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Observer
Oman calls for action to ensure right to food
GENEVA: The Sultanate of Oman participated in the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food as part of the 58th session of the Human Rights Council which is being held in Geneva. Idris bin Abdulrahman al Khanjari, Permanent Representative of the Sultanate of Oman to the United Nations and International Organizations in Geneva, delivered a speech in which he stressed that the right to food is not only a matter related to food security, but rather constitutes a fundamental pillar for guaranteeing human dignity and the right to a safe and healthy life. Al Khanjari added: "Millions of people still suffer from malnutrition as a result of ongoing armed conflicts, climate change and economic crises that lead to disruption of supply chains which increases the suffering of the most vulnerable groups and poses a direct threat to the right to food. The challenges resulting from public debt, inflation and international financial policies complicate the issue of ensuring the right to food as countries burdened with debt are forced to divert their resources allocated to social sectors, such as food subsidy programmes, to pay off public debt. Besides, inflation affects the purchasing power making it difficult for individuals to obtain sufficient food.' Al Khanjari stressed the need to find a fair balance between financial obligations and ensuring that citizens' basic needs are met and to adopt sustainable economic and financial policies that take into account human rights and guarantee individuals' right to sufficient and safe food, indicating that achieving this goal requires radical reforms in the international financial system to enable countries to take effective measures to combat hunger and ensure food security. Idris bin Abdulrahman al Khanjari, Permanent Representative of the Sultanate of Oman to the United Nations and International Organizations in Geneva, said that the use of starvation as a weapon of war in the Palestinian territories is a flagrant violation to the right to food and constitutes a war crime according to international law. He called on the international community to take urgent measures to stop such practices that threaten life and human dignity. At the end of his speech, he underscored the importance of joint action to ensure the right to food for all, especially in areas of armed conflicts. — ONA
Fox News
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
American censored by UN Human Rights Council, accused of using 'disrespectful language'
FIRST ON FOX — The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) abruptly cut off a video statement when the speaker mentioned the fate of Ariel and Kfir Bibas. The incident took place during an "Interactive Dialogue" regarding the UNHRC's consideration of U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk's report on "the human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the obligation to ensure accountability and justice." During an "Interactive Dialogue" experts are allowed to speak to the council about human rights issues being discussed during the regular session. Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust Director Anne Bayefsky says she submitted a video statement to UNHRC, but was cut off after just a few seconds. President of the U.N. Human Rights Council Jürg Lauber stopped the video and declared that Bayefsky had used inappropriate language. Bayefsky begins by saying "The world now knows Palestinian savages murdered 9-month-old baby Kfir," and is almost immediately cut off by Lauber. "Sorry, I have to interrupt," Lauber abruptly said as the video of Bayefsky was paused. Lauber briefly objected to the "language" used in the video, but then allowed it to continue. After a few more seconds, the video was shut off entirely. Lauber reiterated that "the language that's used by the speaker cannot be tolerated," adding that it "exceeds clearly the limits of tolerance and respect." Bayefsky told Fox News Digital exclusively that U.N.-accredited NGOs are required to give transcripts and videos one day in advance of the "Interactive Dialogue." She believes the U.N. "stage managed" the incident, as the council had advanced access to her video and a transcript and knew what she would say. U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Spokesperson Pascal Sim did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment on Bayefsky's allegations. "It's a total farce. There is no free speech at the U.N. for any NGO that calls out U.N. antisemitism. This is not harmless censorship. This is a war that the U.N. has declared against Jews, against Americans, and against free speech," Bayefsky told Fox News Digital. Bayefsky explained to Fox News Digital that she started her video this way because she was allotted 1 minute and 30 seconds to address the council and wanted to "get right to the point." "The actual horrors of the extermination of the Bibas babies by Palestinians was off limits and pointing out the UN responsibility for their murder and torture was 'inappropriate,'" Bayefsky said. Bayefsky also contends that another part of her video may have been to blame for the censorship. "What U.N. officials knew, and the audience didn't, was that in my statement I demanded accountability for High Commissioner Türk himself - one of the world's primary drivers of Palestinian terrorism and antisemitism on a global scale," Bayefsky told Fox News Digital. In a transcript of the blocked video shared with Fox News Digital, Bayefsky calls Türk a "High Commissioner for Human Wrongs" and says he has "the blood of Jewish innocents on his hands." Critics, including Bayefsky, have slammed Türk for putting out a statement on Oct. 7, 2023, that appeared to equate Hamas' attacks with Israel's response. In the statement, Türk says he was "shocked and appalled" by the violent attacks before going on to condemn Israel. In response to a Fox News Digital request for comment on Bayefsky's video being cut off, Sim said that "the words of the President of the Human Rights Council speak for themselves." During the same hearing, Qatar was allowed to accuse Israel of being a "torturer," using "collective punishment," and attempting "to impose Judaism" in the West Bank and Gaza without any evidence or interruption. Multiple speakers were also allowed to accuse Israel of carrying out a genocide, also with no objection from Lauber. Additionally, Defense for Children International, which describes itself as a "local Palestinian child rights organization," claimed that "Israeli soldiers know that they can kill Palestinian children with impunity and not face any professional or legal consequences." No evidence was offered, and the council did not object to the accusations. "We know exactly why I was censored by knowing what the UN did not censor during this very same 'dialogue,'" Bayefsky told Fox News Digital. "There was no censorship, no cut microphones, no problem saying Israel was committing 'genocide against Palestinians'… The blood libels and incitement to hate and more violence was voluminous. And that was all just fine with the U.N." Bayefsky says it's time for the U.S. to cut off funding to the OHCHR. While President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order prohibiting the U.S. from participating in UNHRC, it did not address funding to OHCHR, Bayefsky explained. "The bulk of American funding for the U.N. in this context is for Türk and his kingdom at the 'U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights'… If ever Americans needed one more reason not to pay another cent for U.N.-driven lethal antisemitism, this is it."
