UNESCO: The Shame of a Disaster Foretold

Here is an open letter I have co-signed along with Elie Wiesel and Claude Lanzmann:

Who declared in April 2001: "Israel has never contributed to Civilization in any era, for it has only ever appropriated the contributions of others" -- and added almost two months later: "the Israeli culture is an inhumane culture; it is an aggressive, racist, pretentious culture based on one simple principle: steal what does not belong to in order to then claim its appropriation"?

Who explained in 1997, and has repeated it since in every way possible, that he was the "archenemy" of all attempts to normalize his country's relations with Israel?

Or who, as recently as 2008, responded to a deputy of the Egyptian parliament who was alarmed that Israeli books could be introduced into the Alexandria Library: "Burn these books; if there are any there, I will myself burn them in front of you"?

Who said in 2001 in the newspaper Ruz-al-Yusuf that Israel was "aided" in its dark intrigues by "the infiltration of Jews into the international media" and by their diabolical ability to "spread lies"?

To whom do we owe these insane declarations, this anthology of hate and error, and this frenzy of conspiracy theories?

To Farouk Hosny, the Egyptian Minister of Culture for the past fifteen years and undoubtedly the next Director General of UNESCO if nothing is done before the May 30 deadline for nominating candidates to stop his apparently unstoppable march to one of the most important posts of cultural responsibility on the planet.

Even worse: the words that we just cited are only a few -- and not even the most nauseating -- of the innumerable declarations of the same tenor that punctuate the career of Mr. Farouk Hosny over the past fifteen years and that, consequently, precede him as he aspires, even today, to a role on a worldwide scale.

The evidence is there: Mr. Farouk Hosny is not worthy of this role; Mr. Farouk Hosny is the opposite of a man of peace, dialogue, and culture; Mr. Farouk Hosny is a dangerous man, an inciter of hearts and minds. There is only little, very little time left to avoid committing the major mistake of elevating Mr. Farouk Hosny above others to this eminent post.

We thus call on the international community to spare itself the shame that would be the designation, already all but claimed by the candidate himself, of Mr. Farouk Hosny to the post of Director General of UNESCO.

We invite all countries dedicated to liberty and culture to take the initiatives necessary to avert this threat and avoid the disaster that would be his nomination.

We invite the Egyptian President himself, in remembrance of his compatriot Naguib Mahfouz, winner of the Nobel Prize in literature who must be spinning in his grave right now -- we invite him, for the honor of his country and as an heir of his great civilization, to become aware of the situation, and, with all urgency, to disown his minister and withdraw his candidacy.

UNESCO has certainly made other mistakes in the past -- but this particular abuse of authority would be so great, so abominable, so incomprehensible. It would be an obvious provocation so transparently contrary to the proclaimed ideals of the UN that UNESCO would not recover.

There is not a minute to lose in order to prevent the irreparable.

We must, without delay, appeal to everyone's conscience to keep UNESCO from falling into the hands of a man who, when he hears the word "culture," responds with a book burning.

Claude Lanzmann
Bernard-Henri Lévy
Elie Wiesel

Translated from the French by Sara Phenix.

Comments

[SuperSam]

A nation of immigrants shouldn't relish in the antiquities, cultural and natural heritage of another people currently either displaced or under an occupation.

[Numapompilius]

It is morally and intellectually unacceptable to bring lobbying for or against certain exponents into the press in such an aggressive manner. To find a peaceful solution, presenting facts without verbal violence is paramount.

I propose that a close look is taken at the human rights, the democratic freedom and the economic situation of the 80 million egyptians that have suffered a massive impoverishment and presently have a very grim outlook in every sense. Middle east nations need the freedom to chose a democratic and laicist regime without being manipulated for reasons irrelevant to their own existence. There is no ranking of value for nations or human beings, all of them deserve the same right to determine their own fate in dignity.

[Numapompilius]

While respecting the three gentlemen and their achievements, this pamphlet is simply inappropriate in it's direct personal attack. We all know that corruption is rampant in many countries, especially in the middle east including Israel, where every prime minister has been involved in corruption scandals.
Regarding Egypt, it is a prime example of Israeli politics manipulating their neighbors. Mubarak has been kept in power by the US and Israel for the simple reason that Israel needs a stable government near it's border. Mubarak's authoritarian regime has repressed the democratic will of it's population. The reaction to the lack of democratic freedom has been a surge of extremist islamic fanatics. Probably Mr Hosny is indulging in the same hate-attacks that we hear all day long from the Israeli politicians. Both are to be condemned.

Middle east nations have two options : either they play the game imposed by the US and Israel ( against their own citizen) or they risk being overturned or attacked militarily. See all surrounding states around Israel.

[MemoryAlpha]

Accuracy of Analysis:
Very High.

Gratitude for Analysis:
Very High.

[denisecchiang]

To be Anti-Israel is not to be anti-semitic. Israel is "racist" and "aggressive" towards the Arab world. The United States government has supported Israel due to the Jews' lobbying efforts in the United States. Jews are allowed to live and breathe under the United States Constitution like any other "ethnic" grouping. If somebody doesn't thwart Israel's takeover of the Middle East, they will not just win the land of Palestine, but might go for more land in the Middle East, which is not even where Jews come from. Jews come from Europe and when they start hanging out in Israel become a strange breed of Middle Eastern people themselves. I am not anti-semitic, but hope for Israel's future disarmament.

[dfeder]

Nowhere is there any link or website petition to voice opposition to this that I could find, even with a full Web search. While it is well-known the UN is an overtly violent (having been caught participating in kidnappings and weapons transfer for Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon) and disgustingly anti-Semitic and anti-Israel organization run almost exclusively by Islamic support factions (since 1948 more than 2/3 of this body's resolutions have negatively targeted Israel, in spite of the UN purportedly representing nearly 200 nations, scores of NGOs and 6.6 billion people), this surpasses even its history of such acts as successively appointing Syria, Lybia and Sudan to lead its Human Rights oversight groups. NYC real estate is precious. We need to bulldoze that entire building into the river and kick all those duplicitous, Jew- and Christian-hating swine out of our country. Let them gather in Dubai, as is their wont.

[MemoryAlpha]

Tactics Displayed:
2) Recognize that stereotypes work.
7) The last refuge.... When all else fails, point to a few examples of outrageous anti-Semitism, generalize them, suggesting that that is what motivates critics.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-zogby/how-israels-propaganda-ma_b_156767.html

Interesting Note:
We need to bulldoze that entire building...

Obsession by pro-Israeli lobby with bulldozing or demolishing civilian buildings:
High.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0519/p06s21-wome.html
http://www.map-uk.org/regions/opt/news/view/-/id/160/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/07/gaza-israel-obama

[Justtellthetruth]

I really enjoy your posts, Memory Alpha.

So far, by my reckoning, you are 100% right on, and you have a really hilarious approach to getting your points across.

I hope we see the settlements razed to the ground, the settlers removed, the IDF removed, and the beginning of peace in the region before Obama ha served two terms, ( or earlier, God willing)

[Numapompilius]

There are recurrent posts calling for bulldozers to push the UN buildings into the sea. This obsession is symmetrical to the alleged Israeli fear of being thrown into the sea by their neighbours. On a subconscious level, the pro-Israeli lobby is probably projecting their aggressive wish to throw their neighbours into the sea onto their adversaries. In the US it is openly expressed.
The UN are the symbolic scapegoat, but in fact the animosity is against the whole state community.
btw, Israeli authorities have recruited civilians to deal with "problem-websites". This is the reason for those stereotyped postings.

[Sentientbeing09]

Israel deserves all the criticism it gets from the UN and more.

[steve8072]

Dear Whoever reads these for the Huffington Post:

I'd appreciate your correcting my misspelling of the word "language" on the forth line of the comment I just posted regarding Mr. Levy's open letter regarding Mr. Hosny. Thanks.

[steve8072]

Mr. Hosny does use inflamatory language when talking about Israel. Mr. Levy uses language just as inflamatory when talking about Mr. Hosny. People with strongly held opinions sometimes express those opinions in strong language.

The important point is that if you strip out the inflamatory averiage most of what Mr. Hosny is saying is true. What Mr. Levy said in his "open letter", when you strip out the inflamatory language, boils down to saying that the head of UNESCO should be a man who uses more diplomatic language when talking about "hot button" issues and that's true too.

[JanetBW]

If you look at this article in AL-AHRAM weekly you can understand what is going. http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2008/926/fr2.htm

"Salah Eissa, editor-in-chief of Al-Qahira, views the anti-Hosni campaign as evidence of "Israel's desire to accelerate its revenge" after Hosni banned the Israeli film The Band's Visit from participating in the Cairo International Film Festival. Throughout his 21-year tenure as minister of culture Hosni has constantly linked cultural normalisation to a just settlement of the Palestinian cause"

"Last summer Hosni was accused by Israeli newspapers of upping diplomatic tension between Egypt and Israel when he was quoted as saying he would be happy to burn Israeli books himself. In a recent interview in the Weekly Hosni defended his position: "It is an example of the kind of hyperbole common in Egyptian slang," he said.

When in English you say go to hell you do not literally mean to escort the person to whom you are talking. When the French say va te bruler they have no intention of burning themselves."

"As Egypt's minister of culture I have always been clear that we will pursue normalisation with Israel when a comprehensive peace treaty has been signed. I am not against normalisation per se but the timing is crucial."

I'm inclined to beleive the AL-AHRAM story since GrahaminCanada's showed the holes in other parts of this letter and there have been other deliberate mistranslations from Arabic by various groups.

[MemoryAlpha]

Citation of GrahaminCanada's research:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bernardhenri-levy/unesco-the-shame-of-a-dis_b_206585.html?show_comment_id=24662518#comment_24662518

[hotpinko]

Can anyone find a source for the statements Henri-Levy is attributing to Hosny?

[zaz33]

hotpinko - see GrahamInCanada's comments below.

The statements can't be found.

Levy only writes ficton.

[EgyptianMysterySchool]

Interesting article about UNESCO from1968...

http://www.infowars.com/unesco-and-the-new-world-order-in-their-own-words/

http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0012/001281/128156eo.pdf

In a 1968 publication by Louis Francois [ PDF - The right to education; from proclamation to achievement, 1948-1968] for the brainwashing division of the UN, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) the author elaborates on the need for a worldwide education-system as opposed to the old, discarded one which still recognised sovereignty of the nation-state (page 18): ‘We are witnessing the establishment of a NEW WORLD ORDER based upon the system of the United Nations’, Francois explains.

He links a growing world population as one of the main obstacles to be overcome in the quest for a global educational system (page 25): ‘(…) . The first problem to be solved by a ministry of education is that of accommodating and teaching these rapidly increasing multitudes of young people.’

On page 32 the author comes to the point, when he arrives at the diabolically logical conclusion of his train of thought: ‘Educational expansion is hard put to it to keep up with the huge growth of population.’ In order to effectively guide the population toward slavery, the number of people should be reduced lest its effectiveness wear off. ‘Wherever we look’, says Francois on page 36, ‘education is striving to forestall the demographic explosion.’

[ListenPeople]

1968... same year that King was assasinated for being black in America. So what ever happened to the New World Order??

My only hesitation in the letter above is Levy and all Franco-phones who are so incredibly urgent when it comes to the inalienable rights of sovereign Israel but speak little of their human and civil rights issues in their own country, specifically dealing with their large Muslim population. I like Levy but I will always question his motives regarding Israel. He has some pretty soaring accusations as well.

[Sentientbeing09]

Gah. More lobbying and lecturing the world about responsibility from Israeli apologists. Dont they ever stop.

If Hosny said : "the Israeli culture is an inhumane culture; it is an aggressive, racist, pretentious culture based on one simple principle: steal what does not belong to in order to then claim its appropriation"?

Then he represnts the views of most of the world.
The recent comments made by Netanyahu and members of the Israeli Settler Movement are a prime example of this.

If Hosny is an enemy of attempts to normalize his country's relations with Israel then he should also go much further in his condemnation and widen boycotts, divestment and sanctions.
Israel doesnt deserve nomalized relations with any of the modern democracies that fund it until they end the occupation. Israels behavior is oppressive, backward and doesnt belong in the 21st century.

[Spiritof1982]

Gah. You are apparently ignorant of what UNESCO's mission is. Hosny's words cited by Levy and Wiesel are diametrically opposed to that mission.

[Sentientbeing09]

There are no sources provided for Hosny's words.

We only have accusations and out-of-context alleged quotes form Lévy. Forgive me for remaining sceptical.

[skialethia]

I will neither shed nary a tear nor will I lose a minute of sleep for the cause of someone who has not a drop nor an ounce of compassion or unbiased word for Palestinians being held hostage and systemically cleansed to be crowded in sunless ghettos while their homes are demolished or destroyed by b0mbs and their land is stolen and their masters live the good life on sunny Palestinian hills in the West Bank and water their lawns and fill their swimming pools with stolen water sources.

I have no sympathy for anyone who oppresses another, subjects him to human rights vi0lations, uses him as cheap labor and forces him to endure hardship, poverty and hopelessness every day just to hold on to property stolen from the man he exploits.

No criticism is enough or sufficient when it addresses crimes against humanity!!!

[Vickster]

Okay, so you're wrapped up in self-righteousness and have no imagination. As for me, I prefer to weep for both sides.

[Spiritof1982]

The worst part about this comment is that it doesn't mention UNESCO or Mr. Hosny, the subject of the piece. Never was your sympathy requested, sweet, simple, ski.

The open letter only highlights the irony of a man becoming the head of UNESCO who has publicly declared his own intention to burn books. It doesn't take much to appreciate the comedy of Mr. Hosny posing as a protector of culture and respect for diversity.

[DenaSilver]

Thank-you, Spiritof1982, you express the problem perfectly. These comments are frightening.

[Sentientbeing09]

We all know this article isnt concerned about burning books.

Its about Israels image in the world. Its about shutting down public vocal criticism of Israel. It about lobbying.

[SuperSam]

Pooooooor colonizing state of Israel. Boo-hoo.

Cry me a river Bernard.

[SergeantRoss45]

Exactly WHO is maintaining the longest occupation of our time? WHO is systematically oppressing an entire people for their land and resources? I don't see anything wrong with our future UNESCO director's comments. Have a good day.

I encourage the UNITED NATIONS international body to apply the same pressure it used on other illegitimate regimes of our time, anachronistic regimes that don't belong in our time.

[Sentientbeing09]

Boycott, Divest, Sanction!

[John Floyd]

The World Health Organization neither occupies nor systematically oppresses anybody, my good sir.

[Spiritof1982]

How is this at all related to Hosny or UNESCO? You whine a ton about Israel but you don't answer any of Mr. Levy's substantive comments or calls to action.

The fact that you can't see anything wrong in the probable future head of UNESCO saying he is going to burn books for the mere fact of their origin is pretty incredible.

[Sentientbeing09]

We all know this article isnt concerned about burning books.

Its about Israels image in the world. Its about shutting down public vocal criticism of Israel. It about lobbying.

[MotherMiasia]

You may hate the messenger, but I don't see anything wrong with his messages.

Israel would be hard pressed to claim anything before admitting its role in ethnically cleansing a population to usurp its territory. Farouk Hosny 2009

[Blueyellow40]

Just FYI, if you hate Israeli culture because their government sucks, then you must also hate American culture.

[SuperSam]

I believe she's all for recognizing Palestinian culture on that land now called Israel. A nation of immigrants shouldn't relish in the antiquities, cultural and natural heritage of another people currently either displaced or under an occupation.