Tuesday, November 14, 2006

VETO THIS!


Last Saturday The US expectedly vetoed a draft resolution for the UN Security Council to condemn the killings of 19 Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip by Israeli Defence Forces.

This is the second time this year the US vetoes a draft resolution on Israeli military operations in Gaza.

Ten of the council's 15 members voted in favor and four -Britain, Denmark, Japan and Slovakia - abstained.

Various news sources reported Rice and Bolton saying the draft was "unbalanced" and "biased against Israel and politically motivated".

The US has a long history of its own "politically-motivated" vetoes and negative votes against resolutions condemning Israeli actions in the Middle East.

The draft called for Israel to cease hostilities and withdraw from Gaza but also urged the Palestinian Authority to act to end violence - including rockets fired at southern Israel. The draft also called the Quartet – UN, US, EU and Russia– to take immediate steps to stabilize the situation, including through the possible establishment of an “international mechanism for the protection of the civilian populations.” It also urged the Secretary Genral to conduct an investigation into the recent Beit Hanoun killings which Olmert and the IDF are claiming was a technical error. A claim which independent United Nations human rights expert Miloon Kothari has rejected saying the attack indicated premeditation. He also urged Israel to stop destruction of homes and infrastructure, and called the international community to impose military sanctions against Israel.

In response to the ongoing crisis, the United Nations Human Rights Council will hold a special session this Wednesday on Israel’s recent military actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

According to Palestine Campaign's website, casualties since 25 June 2006 include:
- 342 Palestinians, mostly civilians, 64 children and 15 women, killed by Israeli Forces.
- At least 1186 Palestinian civilians, 344 children and 49 women, wounded by the Israeli Forces gunfire.

More statistics and in depth information can also be found on the Israeli human rights group, b'Tselem's, website.

On a lighter note, the Arab League announced it would lift the financial blockade on the Palestinians in defiance of the United States. What I'd like to know is what the fuck were they doing endorsing it in the first place!

3 comments:

Aisha said...

3ady.. leash shu kont mitwaqqe3? did you really expect the US to stand by us and give us their warmth and support? yallah.. Allah bi3een.

"On a lighter note, the Arab League announced it would lift the financial blockade on the Palestinians in defiance of the United States."
laaa? kattar kheirhom!! ^o)

sorry to sound so cynical.. but lately that's just how i feel about palestine...

Jester said...

Do you realize that under the overwhelming injustice and humiliation, massacres, torture, systematic oppression, appropriation of water sources, food, aid, disruption of education and all general forms of public life, the Palestinians have resisted and continue to resist. They built schools, universities, hospitals, developed political parties and generally managed to maintain under a rabid occupation, the most active civil society in the entire Arab region. Let's not forget that they also went out to democratically elect their leaders in a fashion uncharacteristic of Arab countries.

Be cynical all you want but never lose faith in the Palestinians...

Aisha said...

"never lose faith in the Palestinians"... how can I? I heard a hadeeth from the prophet PBUH about how there will always be, until the day of judgement, people fighting in the way of Allah in Palestine.

i have faith that we'll never give up. us palestinians are the most hard-headed people in the world. it seems to be doing us some good!