Opposing Singling out Israel's Human Rights Record
Floor Speech
OPPOSING SINGLING OUT ISRAEL'S HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD -- (House of Representatives - September 25, 2007)
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Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I want to thank Representative Campbell for bringing this issue to the floor.
It has long been my view that the United Nations can be, and in many cases is, a very, very useful organization. It gives the countries of the world a chance to come together in one place and discuss issues that they can work together on but, perhaps as importantly, to discuss their differences. It was set up so that, hopefully, that process would reduce more violent conflict, that they could discuss these issues, figure out a way to work together, and move forward.
I also feel that it is a very appropriate role of the United Nations to look throughout the world and see where injustice is being done, identify it, and try to fix it.
Unfortunately, too many times that becomes politicized and focused, and in particular it becomes politicized and focused on the nation of Israel. With all of the problems that are going on throughout the world, all of the countries, all the despotic governments out there causing no ends of grief for their people, the one country that the United Nations continues to focus on is a free democracy in the Middle East, Israel. And they continually focus on them to the exclusion, in many cases, of far, far greater problems in other parts of the world.
Now, certainly I recognize the United Nations should be involved in the Middle East. There is unquestionably a conflict there between Israel and their neighbors in the Palestinian territories. Resolving that difference and helping the Palestinian people to set up their own country that will protect its people is incredibly important. But, again, unfortunately, the focus of the U.N. seems more to criticize and attack Israel to the exclusion of other problems.
So I want to thank Mr. Campbell for bringing this resolution, which very simply asks, I guess, the United Nations to stop doing that, to stop focusing on Israel, and to have a broader focus on the problems of the world and do not unfairly criticize the nation of Israel. It undermines, rather than helps, any effort to resolve the conflicts in the Middle East.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
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