The following written exercise, which was revealed to UN Watch and is published for the first time today, was administered two years ago by the United Nations to applicants seeking a position with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). How many applicants were screened by this exam — and whether it remains in use — is unknown. Concerning such exams, OHCHR on Monday informed UN Watch in an emailed statement that it is “quite impossible to find out which ones have been used when, or by whom, or for what specific purpose.”This is thoroughly unsurprising. Can you imagine the chances for a pro-Israel candidate to get a job at the OHCHR?
WRITTEN EXERCISE
The Special Rapporteurs on the Right to Adequate Housing, on the Rights to Water and Sanitation and on the Right to Food have been sending allegation letters to Israel raising concerns about the demolition of houses, water tanks and agricultural structures in the West Bank throughout 2011. NGOs and UN actors are encouraging them to issue a press release on their concerns. At the same time, the Palestinian request for recognition of statehood is being discussed at the Security Council and General Assembly.
1. Please choose either exercise 1.a. or exercise 1.b. [maximum 700 words]:
1.a. Please draft a briefing note for the Chief of the Special Procedures Branch, who would like to advise the three mandate holders on the pros and cons of issuing such a press release and its timing.
OR
1.b. Please draft speaking notes for one of the three mandate holders (your choice) to be used if a journalist wishes to follow up with a telephone interview.
2. Please draft a concept note (substance, format, possible participants and audience, steps needed, etc) for the organization of a side event on this topic, to be held during the presentation of special procedure reports to the General Assembly, which could be shared with States that may wish to sponsor such an event. [maximum 1,500 words]
No doubt the UN cannot even conceive that there is any problem here. Israel's guilt is unassailable; who could possibly argue? If you do, then the UN would consider you to be just as unstable as someone insisting that the sky is green.