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This Article is From Apr 24, 2013

US asks UN official's resignation for comment on Boston Marathon bombings

Washington: The US has demanded the resignation of a senior UN human rights official for his alleged outrageous comment on Boston bombings, in which he placed the blame on the American policy in the Middle East.

"The United States completely rejects the provocative and offencive commentary by Richard Falk, UN Special Rapporteur for the Palestinian Territories, regarding the recent terrorist attack in Boston, Massachusetts," Erin Pelton the US spokesman to the United Nations said in a statement .

"The US had previously called for Falk's resignation for his numerous outrageous statements, and these comments underscore once more the absurdity of his service as a UN Special Rapporteur," Pelton said.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) in a statement also denounced comments by Falk, in which he attempted to explain the Boston Marathon bombings as a reaction to US policy in the Middle East and Tel Aviv.

He wrote on Foreignpolicyjournal.com: "As long as Tel Aviv has the compliant ear of the American political establishment, those who wish for peace and justice in the world should not rest easy," and also implied that the Boston terror attack was a justified response to US policies in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq.

"It is outrageous that the UN Human Rights Council continues to support such a wildly conspiratorial and highly biased extremist as a reliable 'expert,'" said Abraham Foxman, ADL national director.

"Richard Falk has given the Human Right's Council yet another black eye and his continued affiliation with the international body only serves to undermine its credibility.

"His outrageous assertion that the Boston terror attack can be traced to US and Israeli policy is not surprising, given his notorious record of anti-Israel and anti-American propaganda," Foxman said.

Founded in 1913, Anti-Defamation League is the world's leading organisation fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.

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