UN official: Israeli delegation spreading ‘malicious lies’
Shlomo Shamir, Haaretz, Dec 16 2008

UN General Assembly President Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann on Tuesday charged that the Israeli delegation has spread a “malicious lie” by asserting that he tried to bar its envoy from addressing a human rights session. The accusations deepen an already existing rift with Israel. D’Escoto, who has chaired the General Assembly since September, also charged that he had received death threats following the assertion. In a special statement read by his spokesman Enrique Yeves, d’Escoto denounced as a “criminal act of slander” the charge, reported in Israeli media, that he had tried to keep Israeli Ambassador Gabriela Shalev from speaking at an assembly session marking the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. According to d’Escoto, following the charges that he said were spread by senior officials in the Israeli delegation, “very serious threats have appeared on the internet” against his life. Yeves said of reported remarks by Shalev, quoted last week in the JPost, accusing d’Escoto of trying to block her participation in the commemorative meeting:

This is a malicious and absolute lie, that could best be characterized as slander, and in any court of law this is a criminal act. This matter is being looked into by the pertinent authorities. Also the security staff at the UN is taking it very seriously.

Yeves said D’Escoto was already taking unspecified “extra security measures” for protection. It was not immediately clear who was behind the reported threats. In response to d’Escoto’s remarks, Israeli UN delegation spokeswoman Mirit Cohen issued a heated press release. Cohen said in the statement:

The president of the Assembly must act as a unifying force, fostering the common values and interests of all member states. Despite this, since entering his position, Mr. d’Escoto has exploited his post, voicing unacceptable declarations, which have prompted criticism from much of the international community. Following the outrageous and ridiculous declaration issued by the Assembly president, Israeli Ambassador Gabriela Shalev cancelled the meeting with him which he had initiated.

D’Escoto also criticized Israel for barring entry to UN envoy Richard Falk, and expelling him early on Monday. D’Escoto’s complaint over the Falk expulsion was echoed by UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon.