"World to end, Palestinian women affected most"

There is an old joke about a headline in a politically correct newspaper, "World Ends, Women Affected Most."

It seems that the joke has been updated by Israel-haters who turn every UN Day into "bash Israel day."

From Ha'aretz:

The United Nations' Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), scheduled to wrap up its annual session on Friday, is expected to pass a resolution condemning Israel's part in the degrading of living conditions for Palestinian women, while failing to mention the mistreatment of women in the ongoing crisis in Syria.

Friday's session will include such professional resolution as concerning "woman and natural disasters," "women hostages," women and girls and AIDS," and "mortality among women."

However, the panel is expected to also an eight-clause resolution, determining that the "Israeli occupation" in territories, including East Jerusalem, is the main obstacle for the advancement of the Palestinian woman.

Responding to the decision to condemn Israel, Israeli envoy to the UN Ron Prosor told Haaretz that the "council's bring levels of absurdity and cynicism to new heights."

"The thousands of Syrian women butchered, tortured, raped and trampled under Assad's iron boot don't even get a passing mention in the panel's decisions," Prosor added.

In private discussions and in response to official Israeli appeals, the panel's European members have attacked the wording of a resolution specifically addressing Palestinian women, and agree that it is not professionally motivated.

However, like similar resolutions accepted in last year's session, European representatives are expected to either back the draft or abstain the vote.

Prosor referred to this apparent pattern, saying that "under the protection of the European states' abstaining, the [CSW] turns its back on the tortured and murdered women of Damascus and continues to obsessively deal with Palestinian women."

"Does the resolution denounce 'honor killings' in the Palestinian society? Does the resolution discuss Hamas' repression of women in Gaza? Of course not. The UN continues to deal with the Palestinian issue without any connection to what's happening on the ground."

Naturally, no other country is singled out for its treatment of women by the UN. Because women's rights are jealously safeguarded in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Meanwhile you can read about the 58.1% of wives in Gaza who are exposed to violence by their husbands.

Or you can check out the top women executives in Israel.

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In a related news item from the rarefied halls of international diplomacy:

The UN’s education, science and culture organization has just voted 35 to 8 for a resolution that condemns Assad for abuses, yet — despite vigorous efforts led by the U.S. — keeps the regime on its human rights committee.

“For UNESCO to keep President Bashar al-Assad on a human rights committee while his regime mercilessly murders its own people is immoral, indefensible and an insult to Syria’s victims,” said Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, the Geneva human rights group that heads a campaign of 55 parliamentarians, human rights and religious groups demanding Syria’s expulsion.

“The world squandered a golden opportunity to expose the Assad regime’s lack of legitimacy. Politics trumped human rights, with too many UNESCO diplomats fearful that if Syria were removed for gross violations, their own regimes would be next.”

“Today’s appalling decision calls into question the credibility of UNESCO’s mission to promote human rights. Syria’s membership is a lingering stain upon the reputation of the UN as a whole,” said Neuer.

After UNESCO elected Syria to its human rights committee in November, UN Watch launched a campaign to reverse the decision, prompting the US and Britain to initiate today’s debate at UNESCO.

“While today’s text rightly condemns Syria’s violations — a welcome first for UNESCO — the promised call to oust the regime from UNESCO’s human rights panel has been completely excised. We’re left with words, but no teeth.”

“By maintaining Assad in a position of global influence on human rights, UNESCO today has sent absolutely the wrong message. It an unconscionable insult to the suffering people of Syria,” said Neuer.