[New York Times] Isabel Kershner - Israeli authorities on Monday expelled Richard Falk, a UN investigator of human rights in the Palestinian territories, saying he was unwelcome because of what the government regarded as his hostile position toward Israel. Falk, an American, arrived in Israel on Sunday and was placed on the first available flight back to Geneva, his point of departure. A spokesman for the Israeli Foreign Ministry said Falk had been informed in advance that his entry would be barred. Falk, a professor of international law at Princeton and the UN Human Rights Council special rapporteur for the Palestinian territories, has compared Israel's treatment of the Palestinians to Nazi atrocities and has called for more serious examination of the conspiracy theories surrounding the Sept. 11 attacks. Falk issued a statement this month describing Israel's embargo on Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas, as a crime against humanity, while making only cursory reference to Hamas rocket attacks against Israeli civilian centers.
2008-12-16 08:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive