Special Section Issue 8, Winter 2011 Mohamed El Baradei was the Director of the International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) for the many years between 1997-2009. He was awarded a Nobel Prize for Peace in 2005. Baradei had won great respect in the world when he stood up against America's claims that Saddam Hussein of Iraq was preparing weapons of nuclear destruction. For many years, as Director of IAEA, he insisted that there were no proofs that Iran was developing nuclear weapons. Professor Eyal Zisar, writing in Israel HaYom (Hebrew Daily Newspaper) says, "In retrospect [it is clear that Baradei] softened or even prevented dissemination of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reports that accused Iran."
Zisar adds that Jerusalem intimated periodically that El Baradei's Egyptian identity was tilting him to tread softly toward Iran. "On his part El Baradei made sure to visit Israel and to maintain communication with its government, but he also did not hide his opinion, in the best Egyptian tradition, that the international community ought to focus its attention on the nuclear ambitions of Israel and not only on Iran."
In the same newspaper, two correspondents stationed in the United States, observed, "For the first time in history a very severe report of the IAEA has been issued that Teheran has fooled the world and all the while that it was denying so vehemently, Iran was devoted to the development of nuclear weapons."
In the same newspaper, another writer, Boaz Bismuth, observed "Iran had succeeded in deceiving everyone, even American intelligence. Does anyone remember the report issued by America's intelligence agency in 2007 that concluded decisively that there was no evidence whatsoever that Iran had concluded its nuclear program? The enlightened world, the same world that did not lift a finger 70 years ago (the writer is referring to the Holocaust) has chosen once again, this time, to bury its head in the sand in the face of the new threat that is looming over the Jewish people. From its inception, the Islamic Republic of Iran has never hidden its anticipation of the destruction of the 'Zionist entity,' but for intellectuals in the world it is simply been defined as rhetoric."
Haaretz' reporter Yossi Melman wrote: "The report is a certificate of excellence and courage of the IAEA, led by director general Yukiya Amano, and it puts to shame past reports written by the same organization during the tenure of its Egyptian director general, Dr. Mohamed el Baradei. It's true that in the past two years, since Amano was appointed, the organization has received new evidence and information. However, most of the incriminating evidence was available when El Baradei led the IAEA, but he preferred not to publish the findings, or soften the wording in a way that would confuse the readers and portray Iran in a deceptive light, as if there wasn't conclusive evidence that it as aiming to produce nuclear weapons.
"El Baradei, one must add, reiterated his beliefs even in the past few weeks, most notably in an interview with the New Yorker. Amano, on the other hand, wasn't intimidated by the pressure and threats of Iran, or of Russian and China, who tried until the last moment to prevent the publication of yesterday's report, or at least of the annex that includes the damning evidence."
Another Haaretz reporter-analyst, Amos Harel, went further and accused Baradei of open coordination with Iran. The "Egyptian Mohamed El Baradei, denied Iran's military nuclear efforts were denied for years. El Baradei intentionally downplayed - apparently with advance coordination with the Iranians - the incriminating evidence discovered by his inspectors."
Editorial Comment:
GPN's editor in chief, Israel Charny,
volunteers the interesting story that in 2006 when he was President of
the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS), he invited Dr. El
Baradei, a Nobel Prize winner, to receive an award from (IAGS) at its International conference in Sarejevo, Bosnia in 2007 -- along with three other
honorees: Deborah Lipstadt, who stood up against Holocaust denier David
Irving in an epic trial in London; Ragip Zarakolu, the courageous
Turkish publisher (see elsewhere in this issue news of his re-arrest for
publishing news about the Turkish killings of Kurds -- earlier he
was arrested because he published information on the Armenian Genocide;
and Ambassador John Evans, former American Ambassador to Armenia, who
dared to speak of the Armenian Genocide and was promptly fired by the US
State Department.
El Baradei accepted the invitation, and his forthcoming plenary
address and acceptance to of the award were announced by IAGS.
Subsequently El Baradei's office summarily cancelled his participation
in Sarajevo and acceptance of the award with no explanation given. (El
Baradei was replaced by Carla Del Ponte who was the chief prosecutor at
the International Criminal Court, where charges were being brought
against genociders such as President of Serbia - Milosevic).
Charny says that at the time he was insulted by the preemptory
cancellation by El Baradei, but as it became increasingly clear to him
that El Baradei was protecting Iran against exposure of its development
of nuclear weapons, he was relieved for IAGS not to have given him an
award. Woe, woe to us all for all the peace prize winners in our world who turn out to be accomplices, sponsors and perpetrators of terror and war. -- IWC
Sources:
Bismuth, Boaz (November 9, 2011). Forgive us, we were right all along. Israel HaYom (Hebrew Daily Newspaper)
Harel, Amos (November 9, 2011). IAEA report will lead to Iran sanctions, not military strike. Haaretz (English)
Melman, Yossi (November 9, 2011). No smoking gun, but rather an Iranian nuclear missile. Haaretz (English)
Zesna, Shlomo and Hirsch, Yoni (November 9, 2011). The end of an era of illusion: The IAEA report reveals to the world what Israel has known for years - Iran is on the path to nuclear weapons. Israel HaYom (Hebrew Daily Newspaper)
Zisar, Eyal (November 9, 2011). The report also convicted El Baradei. Israel HaYom (Hebrew Daily Newspaper)
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