CNN Error: Top US Official Accused Israel of War Crimes

By Published On: July 24, 2014

July 30 Update: CNN Corrects: Criticism of Israel from UN, not US, Official

In CNN Newsroom yesterday, Brooke Baldwin mistakenly claims that a top American human rights official accused Israel of war crimes. She erred:

And we are hearing some pretty strong criticism of Israel today. Coming from one of the U.S.’s top human rights officials. The criticism came during an emergency meeting in Geneva.

In fact, no top U.S. human rights official leveled strong criticism of Israel yesterday. The human rights official in question is a United Nations figure, not American. The broadcast immediately goes on to quote Navi Pillay, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights:

The right to life of civilians, including children, should be a foremost consideration. Not abiding by these principals amounts to war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

Ms. Baldwin most likely simply misspoke — but her error is a substantive, egregious one which requires correction.

The United States is a close ally of Israel which has defended the country’s right to self-defense in the face of rocket attacks and cross-border. Though American officials expressed concern about civilian casualties in Gaza, none even remotely accused Israel of crimes against humanity. The UN Human Rights Council, and Navi Pillay, on the other hand, have a long record of hostility towards Israel, including bizarre, one-sided condemnations of Israel while ignoring far worse abuses around the world.

CAMERA has contacted editors to request a correction. Stay tuned for an update.

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