UN To Put Palestine Media Watch Out Of Business

Not directly, and not intentionally--but the UN proposal to "criminalize defamation of Islam" will do more that just affect Islam.

True, the proposal only mentions one religion by name--Islam:

Noting with concern that defamation of religions, and incitement to religious hatred in general, could lead to social disharmony and violations of human rights, and alarmed at the inaction of some States to combat this burgeoning trend and the resulting discriminatory practices against adherents of certain religions and in this context stressing the need to effectively combat defamation of all religions and incitement to religious hatred in general and against Islam and Muslims in particular,

...7. Expresses deep concern in this respect that Islam is frequently and wrongly associated with human rights violations and terrorism and in this regard regrets the laws or administrative measures specifically designed to control and monitor Muslim minorities, thereby stigmatizing them and legitimizing the discrimination they experience;

...17. Requests the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance to report on all manifestations of defamation of religions, and in particular on the serious implications of Islamophobia, on the enjoyment of all rights by their followers, to the Council during its 12th Session;

However, putting aside for the moment the absurdity of singling out Islam as deserving some sort of special treatment or requiring protection at a time that Anti-Semitism again is rampant and freedom of religion is denied religions outside of Islam according to Dhimmi law--this proposal is actually a great idea!

8. Deplores the use of the print, audio-visual and electronic media, including the Internet, and any other means to incite acts of violence, xenophobia or related intolerance and discrimination towards any religion, as well as targeting of religious symbols and venerated persons;

Think about it. We wouldn't have to be offended any more by Syrian anti-Semitic movies:

The Syrian-produced television series, called "Al-Shatat," includes horrific distortions of Judaism, including the presentation of the use of a Christian child's blood in preparation of Matzah for Passover, as religious necessity. The graphic episode features Jews kidnapping a Christian boy and slitting his throat to drain his blood, and the brutal execution of a Jew by a "Talmudic" court, by pouring boiling lead down his throat. [Warning: The following two video links to the above episodes are very difficult to view: 1) Christian boy, 2) Talmudic Execution] All of the anti-Semitic libels in this series are presented as fact.

Those 2 links still work, and are as disgusting as the warning indicates--but surely "defamation of religions, and incitement to religious hatred in general" will cease with the passage of this proposal. If Muslim countries would stop doing all the things that they are claiming are being done to them, I suppose I could live with that.

But then again, is there any indication that the Muslim world thinks anything in this proposal applies to them?

What is more likely is that videos like the one below will have to be removed from YouTube--while the imams keep on saying the things in mosques without fear of exposure [all videos below are from the Palestine Media Watch channel on YouTube]:



Surely no one expects Hamas, which does not allow humanitarian groups to see Gilad Shalit to suddenly stop showing videos like this:



or for imams to stop talking like this in their mosques



or be sure that stuff like this will never appear on PA TV.

If Muslim countries would finally be willing to give the respect to other religions that it demands for itself, at the very least this proposal could serving as a starting point.

But as things stand, Muslim Anti-Semitism will continue, and Islam needs to first earn what it demands.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Technorati Tag: Anti-Semitism and UN and Islam and Palestine Media Watch and PMV.