New York, NY, March 24, 2004 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today called the United Nations Commission on Human Rights condemnation of the Israeli killing of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin "tragically predictable."  The vote in Geneva to censure Israel was 31-2 with 18 abstentions.  The abstentions were primarily European countries; the United States and Australia voted against. 

Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, issued the following statement:

Once again, this vote serves to demonstrate the hypocrisy of the U.N. Human Rights Commission when it comes to Israel.  The commission's one-sided censure of Israel's actions to prevent further acts of terrorism is tragically predictable.  We have grown used to the openly biased manner in which the Human Rights Commission treats Israel, while failing to condemn other nations with demonstrably poor records on human rights.

While the commission easily votes to condemn Israeli action against the recognized mastermind of a deadly terrorist organization, they have never convened to censure the terrorist murder of Israeli civilians, including children and infants, or to condemn the anti-Semitic firebombings of houses of worship in Europe.  Such votes only serve to prop up the terrorists, while doing a terrible disservice to their victims.  Moreover, censuring Israel does nothing to advance the prospects for real peace in the region.

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.