War Day #172. UNder the Bus
Tuesday, March 26
More v’nahafoch hu: Two things about the UN today.
First, there was the UN Security Council resolution yesterday. 14 votes in favor of ceasefire, the US abstaining.
* Israel was told to maneuver a ceasefire (single-handedly, apparently, since Hamas has already since then announced they’re not interested.)
* And, oh yeah, Hamas should also release hostages (but no teeth in it, because the ceasefire is not conditional on the hostage release, just a sort of after-thought.)
* And also, no condemnation of Hamas in the statement.
Throw anyone under a bus lately?
US, where has your moral fiber gone? Regardless of how you feel about the current Israeli government, did you have to abandon the hostages and their families by not linking the hostage return to the ceasefire?
The White House is now trying to walk their abstention back, saying they haven’t changed their position at all. They are professing perplexity that Israel is upset, and simultaneously blaming the “overreaction” on PM Netanyahu. (I’m not a big fan either, but this is not a Netanyahu overreaction.)
This was a message. The problem is, it was addressed to the wrong recipient.
Quote: “Kirby added that Netanyahu is wrong to claim that the US abstention will give Hamas hope that it can secure a ceasefire through means other than a hostage release. The second US official noted that the US looked into whether an adopted Security Council resolution might impact the hostage talks and determined that it would not.”
https://www.timesofisrael.com/perplexed-by-overreaction-white-house-says-pm-stirring-crisis-in-us-israel-ties/
With all due respect: You people just don’t understand the politics here. And I have no idea how you “looked into it” to get that conclusion, but any Israeli on the street could have told you how this would fly.
Israel got the message loud and clear: We’re expendable, and the US doesn’t have our back.
And how do you think Hamas is going to understand the message you sent them? Since you don’t seem to have anyone there who can tell you, I’ll take the liberty. Hamas just heard you say: “Israel must engage in an immediate ceasefire. And golly gee whiz, we sure hope those hostages will be ok.” (Hamas publicly welcomed the UN decision.)
And in case there was any doubt about that, there have been three rocket launches from Hamas in Gaza, to southern Israel, since the UN announcement. Plus a repudiation of the hostage agreement.
Still think there won’t be any effect on the hostage talks?
This ‘ceasefire’ resolution is sure to harden the Hamas position re hostages (and re any ceasefire too, frankly. Why should they agree to any concessions at all if the world is backing them without any?)
So Israel is getting missiles from Lebanon, and yesterday, we once again got missiles from Hamas in Gaza.
Thanks to the US, hostage negotiations are dead in the water now. Why would Hamas negotiate if they have the world’s support anyway? Thanks a ton. Whatever happens now is on your head.
*
And banner day for the morally-bankrupt UN: We also have the UN’s new important report claiming Israel is committing genocide. (Of course, we should listen to the UN, because their UNRWA staff also work with Hamas as terrorists, so they should clearly know.)
And this UN report (to be delivered to the body's Human Rights Council on Tuesday) was compiled by UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese. Ms Albanese is the same woman who was banned from Israel for her justification of Oct. 7, when she said, “The victims of October 7 were not killed because of their Judaism, but in response to Israel’s oppression.” (Victim blaming, much?)
And she is the same Francesca Albanese who recently became the first UN rapporteur in history to be condemned by both France and Germany for antisemitism.
*
The good news is that the joint effect of all of this UN hypocrisy at once is likely clearly showing the Israeli political echelons that there is no point in trying.
No matter what we do, we’re damned by the world anyway.
We might as well go into Rafah.
Not what you expected? I’m betting it’s not what the US expected either.
Next time ask an Israeli on the street their opinion.
https://m.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-793697
UN report
https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/anatomy-genocide-report-special-rapporteur-situation-human-rights-palestinian-territories-occupied-1967-francesca-albanese-ahrc5573-advance-unedited-version
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/un-special-rapporteur-for-palestinians-banned-from-israel-after-appearing-to-justify-oct-7-massacre/