The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights actually came down on Egypt for shooting unarmed migrants by the dozens over the past few years. And the release didn’t mention Israel once! Hell, even the AFP article doesn’t mention Israel.
High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay underscored the need for an urgent independent inquiry into the killings of some 60 people – and the wounding and disappearance of dozens more – on the Egyptian side of its Sinai border with Israel since summer 2007, when the two countries agreed to bolster border controls.
“While migrants often lose their lives accidentally while traveling in over-crowded boats, or trying to cross remote land borders, I know of no other country where so many unarmed migrants and asylum-seekers appear to have been deliberately killed in this way by Government forces,†she said.
“It is a deplorable state of affairs, and the sheer number of victims suggests that at least some Egyptian security officials have been operating a shoot-to-kill policy. It is unlikely that so many killings would occur otherwise. Sixty killings can hardly be an accident.â€
The tally is nine killed so far this year. I would point out that the year is only two months old. I would also point out that it is highly unlikely that Egypt either stops the killings, or launches an independent investigation into them. Or that the UN does anything beyond having Navi Pillay send out a press release on the issue. I would also point out that I will be very glad if I have to eat these words. But I doubt I will.
Especially notable: Pillay is no friend of Israel.
I would say that he will eventually say that it is all Israel’s fault for asking Egypt to “bolster border controls”.
Must be a cunning ruse.
I should have noted in the post that it only took them two and a half years and 60 deaths to say something about it.