MK Hotovely: ‘This is a new record for the world’s anti-Israel lie industry’

Senior Hamas official Ismail al-Ashqar is set to speak before the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva on Monday, Ma’an News reported. Amongst the issues he will address is the issue of Hamas members who are being held in Israeli jails.

Haaretz reporter Barak Ravid tweeted that Yigal Palmor, spokesman for the ministry of foreign affairs, responded to the news by saying: “Only a twisted mind can put Hamas and human rights together.”

Israel has arrested several Hamas legislators over the past few months — including Aziz Dwaik, the group’s parliamentary speaker — from Jerusalem.

Yet Israel is not the only power holding Hamas terrorists. In February, a bloc of Hamas legislators led by al-Ashqar accused Fatah of not carrying out confidence measures — including the release of Hamas loyalists currently held in the West Bank — that would advance Hamas-Fatah reconciliation in order to establish a new unity government.

Israel National News also reported that MK Tzipi Hotovely (Likud) called the UNHRC’s invitation of al-Ashqar a disgrace for an organization that purports to care about human rights.

“This is a new record for the world’s anti-Israel lie industry. Hamas, which is firing missiles at the homes of innocent civilians, is received with open arms by the same group which regularly condemns Israel’s actions,” stated Hotovely, according to the article.

The UNHRC has been accused by the United States and Israel of pursuing an agenda which disproportionately focuses more on Israel than any other country. In 2009, the council approved the Goldstone Report, which accused Israel of war crimes during Operation Cast Lead. The council is made up of 47 states, some of which are accused of human rights violations, including China, Russia and Saudi Arabia.

Al-Ashqar is a member of parliament who heads the Committee of Interior and Security Affairs in the Palestinian Legislative Council. His visit to Switzerland is the second of a Hamas official in the past few months, Ynet News reported. (© 2012 THE TIMES OF ISRAEL 03/19/12)