UNITED NATIONS -- Canadian Louise Arbour, the United Nation's High Commissioner for Human Rights, has refused a meeting requested by the families of Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser, according to reports from Israel.


Regev and Goldwasser are the two Israeli soldiers abducted by Hezbollah at the Israel-Lebanon border last July. That abduction resulted in the most intensive military conflict between Israeli forces and Arab militants in more than 20 years.


One major provision of the cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah was to be the timely release of the two captives. The U.N. Security Council instructed Secretary-General Kofi Annan to facilitate the release of the soldiers.


Annan named a secret "facilitator" to arrange the soldiers freedom. Three months later, apparently no progress has been made.


When asked if the secretary-general might personally intervene to move matters along, Annan's office in New York City refused comment. [NewsMax article, Nov. 19]


Today, Arbour went one step further, refusing to meet any family members of the captured soldiers.


"They (the families) are livid (with Arbour)," say sources close to the families.


Neither Arbour nor the United Nations officials in New York City offered any explanation.


Arbour, who has been in the region for the last two weeks and is now in Israel, is expected to meet foreign minister Tzipi Livni later in the week.


Annan who arrived in New York City on Wednesday from a visit to Africa and Europe leaves office at the end of December.


Can you tell me what is wrong with the UN High Commissioner that will not talk to these family members? I guess it don't matter to the High Commissioner of human rights who gets hurt or killed.

To be crude about it, the UN is a limp dick.

Why am I not surprise! The United Nations or should I say the Disunited Nations is acting like the defunct League of Nations. During the time of Hitler & Tojo, the League of Nations & its supporters were quick to criticize Churchill yet did nothing to stop German & Japanese aggression. Today's United Nations & its supporters are quick to criticize how America & Israel conduct its war yet did nothing to against Ben Laden, Hizbullah or Iran.

Like the defunct League of Nations in World War 2, today’s United Nations has unfortunately outlived its usefulness. It’s about time we get rid of this corrupt & useless organization!