August 1, 2008

[Irwin Cotler is the Liberal Human Rights critic but he seems to have his own independent foreign policy initiatives when it comes to the Middle East - the main one right now is beating the drums of war with Iran.]

Originally published in the Jewish Tribune

Activists, lawyers, MPs prepare application to UN Security Council for
severe sanctions against Iran

Written by Julie Lesser

Montreal – Back in Canada after a recent visit to the Middle East, Liberal
MP Irwin Cotler described Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as an active
participant in crimes against humanity who has been given free reign to
continue massive human rights violations by the international
community-at-large.

“Why has there been no petition to ask the United Nations to implement a
wide spectrum of sanctions?” Cotler asked. “We must ask the Security Council
to hold Iran accountable to the International Court for its actions.”

Cotler, working with a group of international human rights activists,
lawyers and parliamentarians – including David Matas, senior legal counsel
of B’nai Brith Canada – has prepared an application to the Security Council
for severe sanctions against Iran, a state party to the Genocide Convention.
They seek the arrest of Ahmadinejad for crimes against humanity, economic
embargos and retributions against financial institutions that provide funds
for atomic weapons.

“I find it surprising that countries don’t know how to remedy this,” said
Cotler. “Most leaders and their advisors don’t know that they can petition
the United Nations. We will make it easy for them. We will unveil a model of
an inter-state complaint, the draft of which will be circulated by the
beginning of September to each prospective signatory.”

Cotler is adamantly opposed to the prospect of Ahmadinejad addressing the
United Nations in September. He feels he should be placed on a Watch List
and calls upon the United States to refuse him entry. He added that some
counties may feel they have no choice but to allow international leaders to
speak to the General Assembly, but Ahmadinejad should instead be declared an
Inadmissible Person.

Democratic Presidential candidate Barak Obama was in the Middle East the
same time as Cotler. Cotler was profoundly disturbed by Obama’s comments
regarding possible peace talks with Iran. In a country where Jews and Israel
are referred to as filthy corpses, bacteria and cattle, and where proudly
displayed public banners encourage wiping Israel off the map, negotiations
should not be an option, Cotler asserted.

While in Israel, Cotler attended shivas for fallen Israeli soldiers Eldad
Regev and Ehud Goldwasser. He was shocked that the day their bodies were
returned to Israel was a day of massive celebration for Palestinians. He
noted that vehement hatred is encouraged by the Palestinian school system,
academics and runs rampant in the media.

“Hate breeds hate,” said Cotler. “Palestinian leadership is not prepared to
recognize the legitimacy of the Jewish state. This culture of incitement is
the greatest threat to a just and lasting peace.”

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Original link: http://www.jewishtribune.ca/TribuneV2/content/view/823/53/

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