UN Passes Resolution Condemning Holocaust Denial

The Washington Post has the story, including charming testimony by the Venezuelan delegate who, "while supporting the resolution," argued that Israel's "excesses under the pretext of legitimate defense has led to a new holocaust against the Palestinian people." Nice. Clearly they understand what happened in the Holocaust. Of course, I can't be too surprised. After all, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez claimed that Israel's Lebanon campaign was "doing the same thing as Hitler," or "perhaps even worse."

In any event, A. James Rudin notes that, while only Iran formally disassociated itself from the resolution (neither it nor any other country formally cast a vote against the resolution), 88 countries abstained from the vote, a full 46% of the General Assembly. Rudin claims many of the abstaining states were Arab or Muslim. This does not appear to be completely accurate--the resolution was adopted "by consensus" (without a vote). What I assume he means that 88 states did not sign on as co-sponsors (103 did--that would tally to Rudin's 46%). I don't want to rain on the parade though, so I'm curious to see which Arab and Muslim states did sign as co-sponsors. I will point out that both Egypt and Indonesia spoke out in favor of the resolution (though I don't know if they were co-sponsors). Anyone who has the full list of 103, please drop me a line.