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December 20, 2008 
Israel News
Original Source: – HYPERLINK https://mail.hudsonny.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://zionism-israel.com/israel_news/2008/12/arabs-oppose-gay-rights-declaration-at.html \t _blank http://zionism-israel.com/israel_news/2008/12/arabs-oppose-gay-rights-declaration-at.html 

A group of United Nations member states including https://mail.hudsonny.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://zionism-israel.com/israel.htm \t _blank Israel have called for the UN's first  gay rights declaration, an initiative which has met with fierce resistance by an Arab-backed opposition. The draft declaration  was presented Thursday at the UN General Assembly. It calls for decriminalization of homosexuality. Arab states are opposed. In Muslim states, homosexuality is a crime and is usually punishable by death, consistent with Islamic law. 
 
France and the Netherlands initiated the nonbinding symbolic declaration in the light of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights  was marked earlier this month.
 
This is the first time in history that a group of member countries voices its objection to discrimination that is based on sexual identity and orientation, said Dutch foreign minister, Maxime Verhagen. The issue is no longer taboo, he added.
 
A Syrian representative read the  statement of the opposition to the declaration, arguing that the declaration would result in more sex crimes against children.
 
The United States, Russia and China have abstained on the matter.
 
The  declaration was read out by Argentina at a plenary session. S far diplomats promoting it have gathered 66 supporting signatures.