Foreign minister says criminal can't judge himself; consul-gen. in NY slams applause after Ahmadinejad's speech.
By HERB KEINONahmadinejad making point 224.88 ap(photo credit: )
Foreign Minister and Kadima leader Tzipi Livni took the United Nations to task Wednesday for giving a platform to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose speech to the General Assembly the day before dripped with anti-Semitism and hatred of Israel.
"Ahmadinejad's speech at the UN demonstrates the absurd state of affairs of the organization whose founding motto was 'Never Again,'" Livni said, in a statement issued by her office.
Livni said that what was even worse than Ahmadinejad being given a stage at the UN was for Iran to be seeking admission to the Security Council, something Teheran has indicated it was interested in doing.
"Iran is now asking to be included as a member of the UN Security Council," she said. "This is like allowing a criminal to be his own judge and jury.
"This is an unprecedented absurdity - for a state that is threatening the security of its neighbors and calling for the destruction of another state to be a member of the body whose goal is to maintain international peace and security."
Livni said that what was needed now was "international pressure on Iran which would leave no doubt as to the price involved in ignoring the demands of the international community - rather than including Iran in the very body that is spearheading this action."
Livni has instructed Israel's representatives abroad to use Ahmadinejad's speech in efforts to prevent Iran's membership on the Council, an indication that while at first Israel thought Iran's campaign to get on the Security Council was just a joke, it is now taking it seriously.
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