UPDATE: ESCWA Chief Resigns Under Pressure:

CANADIAN FSWC COMMENDS UN SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTONIO GUTERRES

TORONTO – March 18, 2017 – International condemnation of Executive Secretary Rima Khalaf, of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) eclipsed on Friday leading to her resignation.  On Friday FSWC President and CEO, Avi Benlolo issued a scathing analysis and rebuke of ESCWA's fabricated indictment of Israel – calling the agency out on its double-standard and unacceptable bias.  

You can see his analysis here - https://www.friendsofsimonwiesenthalcenter.com/news/from-the-desk-of-avi-benlolo-the-whatever-un-agency-tucked-away-in-beirut

"By distancing himself from the report at first and then demanding that it be removed from the ESCWA's website, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres seems to have a clear interest in countering anti-Israel bias at the United Nations" said Benlolo.  "In fact, it was refreshing to note Guterres' Holocaust Remembrance Day speech at the UN on January 27th – whereby he openly discussed the importance of countering antisemitism".  

Nikki Haley, the US Ambassador to the United Nations remarked that "when someone issues a false and defamatory report in the name of the UN it is appropriate that the person resign.  UN agencies must do a better job of eliminating false and biased work. And I applaud the Secretary General for distancing his good office from it".  Israel's UN Ambassador, Danny Danon said "Khalaf has worked to harm Israel and advocate for BDS movement for years.  Her removal from the UN was long overdue".  Meanwhile, UN Spokespesman Stephane Dujarric said, "the secretary-general cannot accept that an under-secretary general or any other senior UN official that reports to him would authorize the publication under the UN name, under the UN logo, without consulting the competent departments and even himself". 

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Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies (FSWC) is a top Jewish human rights foundation in Canada’s organized Jewish community.  It directly impacts over 100,000 people each year and 500,000+ peripherally.  FSWC is committed to countering racism and antisemitism and to promoting the principles of tolerance, social justice and Canadian democratic values through advocacy and educational programs including workshops, Freedom Day, Spirit of Hope Benefit, Tools for Tolerance and the widely acclaimed Tour for Humanity. FSWC is affiliated with the Simon Wiesenthal Center, an international Jewish human rights organization headquartered in Los Angeles which has won two Academy Awards, has built two Museums of Tolerance (with a third being built in Jerusalem) and is an NGO at the United Nations, UNESCO, OAS, OSCE, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament. Visit us at www.fswc.ca.