UNITED NATIONS, March 29 – At UNESCO there have been attempts to "soften" the draft resolution on Israel, attempt involving not only new Director General Audrey Azoulay but also her father, an adviser to the King of Morocco. But Inner City Press has obtained a copy of Israel's response to the draft, exclusive photos here. While acknowledging that the draft is short, Israel calls it an "extreme" and deceptive package, that cannot be the basis of consensus or negotiation. The letter, by Israel's delete to UNESCO Carmel Shama Hacohen, urges the member states on UNESCO's Executive Board to raise their voices and vote against the draft. The UNESCO Executive Board session, which Inner City Press will be covering as part of its ongoing UNESCO series, begins April 9 in Paris. In New York, when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to the UN on 7 March 2018 to open an exhibition about Jerusalem, he singled out a particular UN Security officer, Matthew Sullivan, and brought him in front of the microphone. Link to photo here. He said, as he had on 26 September 2016, see below, that Sullivan seeks him out after each year's General Assembly speech and reviews it. Sullivan then called Netanyahu a great orator, and said the cartoon chart of Iran and the bomb with a burning fuse was his favorite. Inner City Press went and asked the UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric, who had been present. Dujarric acknowledged it but said Sullivan "was thrown into a limelight that he did not seek." Well, no - Netanyahu has repeated this same quote of Sullivan, using Sullivan's name, in a weekly cabinet meeting on September 26, 2016, Facebook video at -5:24, translated there into English. On March 14, Inner City Press asked the UN again, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: of Inspector Sullivan and Net… and Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu, it wasn't just an incident… I want to… I guess what I wanted… and he didn't answer this. In September 2016, Prime Minister Netanyahu quoted exactly what Inspector Sullivan said later in 2018 about the Iran bomb fuse speech being the best speech ever. And so, it seems like the question really isn't… isn't whether he was surprised in the basement last week, but did anyone look into when was the quote given that Mr. Netanyahu quoted in September 2016? And… and I guess I'm asking because, again, many UN staff have wondered whether they can do the same thing. Is it appropriate to praise… to… to offer that type of praise twice, not once but twice, at least? Deputy Spokesman: First of all, we do not control what the Prime Minister of Israel says. That's his business… Inner City Press: He was quoting Mr. Sullivan. Deputy Spokesman: …nor do we police that. Regarding private opinions expressed by staff, they… they're capable of talking to people and expressing their private opinions. This is not a case where someone was expressly trying to express their opinion in public. That was not sought by Officer Sullivan, as Stéphane made clear last week. Inner City Press: But, when somebody calls you over in front of cameras and a microphone, you still choose what you say. Maybe you didn't expect to be called over but it's not… it's…? Deputy Spokesman: As Stéphane made clear, he was doing his regular security duties. He… there was no speaking engagement sought on behalf of the officer." A bit later on March 14: "this is not a case where someone sought to express a public opinion. That was put upon him through circumstances outside of his control. Yes? Inner City Press:I just wanted to allow the follow-up, but I just… I guess is… your answer about that it wasn't thrust on him, this also covers the September 2016 statement quoted by… Deputy Spokesman: He had not… he was not making a public statement. That was something he had expressed to a person who then disclosed it. Inner City Press: Right, but he did it twice, with… I mean, in… given that the first time was… I don't know. Was it appropriate? Deputy Spokesman: We've said what we've said." On March 9, after being told by another UN Security officer that Sullivan was now seeking to file some sort of complaint against Inner City Press, at the days noon briefing Inner City Press asked again, getting off off in the process by Agence France Presse. Video here.
