3:30 AM Central: U.N. Security Council Votes 14-0: "Israel Must Withdraw"

Clymer News Network ^

[Recovering_Democrat]

Just passed U.N. Security Council: Both sides must participate in "meaningful" cease fire, Israel should withdraw.

This is crap. Can you imagine the Security Council trying to tell the U.S. to get out of Afghanistan when we were trying to get the terrorist leadership there?

[Brandon]

The U.S. voted for this crap? That had better be a screwup, and whoever cast that vote had better be fired.

[Bad~Rodeo]

If i was Israeli i would say 2 simple words...BITE ME

[piasa]

I vote for the UN to withdraw from my coutry.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Sign this PETITION for the U.S. to get out of the U.N.

[Lion's Cub]

Actually, what Israel needs to do is go through the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and systematically deport all Muslims. Leave "Palestine" as an Arab Christian state.

[grammymoon]

How fast these losers move when it is against Israel!
But they let the despots, terrorists and every tin horn dictator go on for years and years before you even hear a peep out of them, if at all!
Disgusting.

[piasa]

There are 15 members on the security council- you've only accounted for 14.

[Ken H]

If Sharon accepts this, then I think he is finished as Prime Minister.

I say there is no way Sharon gives in to the UN on this, but time will tell.

If he does go along with the UN, then I'd bet on Netanyahu to be the next Israeli PM.

[ikka]

What about the thug Mugabe in Zimbabwe? Nothing substantive from the UN on that guy.

[wretchard]

There are 15 Security Council members. One member abstained, probably the US.

The probable reason for this vote is this: the Security Council members are terrified that a full-scale war will break out. They can't rein in the Palestinians, so they hit the only control that works: Israel. However, if the US abstained, in the face of near unanimous panic, then the fat's really in the fire. This implies that America, or at least President Bush, doesn't care whether or not war breaks out, possibly because it is viewed as unavoidable anyway.

Now I know a lot of people feel this thing must be ended, one way or the other, and that is probably correct. Just be prepared because war can really be a bummer. Pray and keep your powder dry.

[Dane]

UN to Israel -- Withdraw From Palestinian Cities March 30, 2002 04:40 AM ET

By Evelyn Leopold

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United States joined other U.N. Security Council members early on Saturday in adopting a resolution calling for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian cities.

The resolution was approved by a vote of 14 to 0, with Syria not attending the meeting in protest and leaving its seat empty, a rarity in the council. It had submitted its own resolution against Israel.

The U.S. vote represents a change of position from Friday's comments by Secretary of State Colin Powell, who expressed sympathy with Israel's decision to respond militarily after a series of attacks on Israeli civilians.

The resolution, proposed by Security Council President Ole Peter Kolby of Norway, was negotiated after a Friday emergency public debate called by Arab nations in response to Israeli troops and tanks besieging Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's compound in the West Bank town of Ramallah.

It was the second time this month the United States, Israel's closest ally, supported council action after blocking all Middle East resolution for more than a year. But on March 12, U.S. envoys had startled the council by introducing a resolution they drafted, demanding an immediate cease-fire.

Saturday's resolution calls on Israelis and Palestinians move immediately to a "meaningful cease-fire" and "calls for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian cities, including Ramallah."

The resolution expresses "grave concern" at the recent suicide bombings in Israel and the "military attack" against Arafat's Palestinian Authority headquarters.

The measure asks both sides to cooperate fully with the Bush administration's Middle East envoy, retired Marine Gen. Anthony C. Zinni, with the aim of resuming negotiations on a political settlement.

During a five-hour public meeting late on Friday, council members assailed Israel's assault on the Palestinian Authority with U.S. representative James Cunningham virtually alone in placing blame for the escalating crisis on Palestinian suicide bombers.

While almost all speakers condemned attacks against Israeli civilians, every nation sharply criticized Israel's action. Some 30 nations spoke during the emergency marathon debate, which interrupted a Good Friday holiday at the United Nations.

"There is no excuse for the killing of innocent civilians," said Norway's Kolby, adding that "the Israeli bombardment of Palestinian cities and institutions, which has lead to death and destruction, is unacceptable."

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan opened the meeting by telling Israel to halt its assault on the Palestinian Authority and said Palestinians had to stop "horrific terrorist attacks" against Israeli civilians.

"Terrorism will not bring the Palestinian people closer to their long-deserved claim of the right to self-determination," he said. "Destroying the Palestinian Authority will not bring Israel closer to peace."

At least 1,111 Palestinians and 383 Israelis have been killed since the violence began in September 2000. Some 200 Palestinians and 100 Israelis died in March alone.

"MOTHER OF ALL MISTAKES"

Palestinian delegate Nasser al-Kidwa said Sharon had embarked on "new insane steps." "Let me state here that any harm to President Arafat would be the mother of all these mistakes," he said.

"This represents the beginning of the destruction of the elected Palestinian Authority and the beginning of getting rid of Yasser Arafat and the reoccupation of Palestinian territory," he said. "Let me state here that any harm to President Arafat would be the mother of all these mistakes."

In response, Israel's U.N. ambassador, Yehuda Lancry, said his government had no option but to move against Arafat. He said the Palestinian leader had ignored many requests from Israel over the past four years to arrest the suicide bomber responsible for killing 22 people on Wednesday in Netanya.

"Through this entire period, the voice of the Palestinian leadership has not been one of moderation. It has been a voice of terrorism," Lancry said.

He said Israel had "no intention of occupying any territory under Palestinian control but to uproot the terrorist network that exists there. And in doing so we will, as we always have, keep our hand outstretched for peace." (With additional reporting by Irwin Arieff)

[piasa]

Ah, I see, the US did join in that piece of crap. bad news, very stupid. We really do suck up to terrorists too much. the only folks who suck up more than we are the French and the Israeli left wing.

Syria is the one which abstained.

For some real fun, look who is going to be president of this council... each month they get a new one. It might lend some insights into when the US will make its moves with Iraq and so forth. This month it is Norway, next month the Russian Fed. After that... a US ally Singapore, but not a country with enough common sense to figure out how to vote here. Then Syria, LOL. what a joke. After that, in July and August, it is the UK and the US.

HMMMMMM. July and August.

link here

[Brian Allen]

#4449 Bump!

[wretchard]

The discussions prior to the Security Council vote were described as "marathon". Syria apparently abstained because the language wasn't tough enough. In hindsight, the US position was forseeable because Zinni was kept in the region, so the US is, in principle, committed to moving the discussions forward -- whatever that means.

A few sops were thrown to the Israelis placing the blame on "both sides". This was probably about all the US could get the other Security Council members to agree on.

Sharon is now in an impossible position. If he backs down, he will be a broken reed. If he presses on, the Saudi Peace Process, together with all the deals that are tied up with it, including possible cooperation on the Iraq attack, are out the window. It is hard to see this as anything other than a victory for Arafat in his fight against Sharon. But it isn't necessarily a victory for Arafat. If Sharon falls, then Bibi may come aboard, with a stronger majority behind him.

I guess the US decided it couldn't back Sharon, possibly because Sharon wasn't willing to go the whole 9 yards. This is politics at it's most cynical.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Coming soon to a flagpole near you:

[hoot33]

Utterly unbelievable! I was against Dubya's choice for Secty of State before, during, and now. To get a summation of what our position should be, listen/watch Shawn Hannity and/or Netanyahu.

I've had General Powell pegged a long time ago- culminating in his Senate testimony before a Senate committee re Gulf war chemical poisoning. He 'passed the buck' DOWN! The worst way. See my Ltr to Editor- link

Thank you Sir for the much needed post.

[wretchard]

This from www.haaretzdaily.com on the resolution. "The Syrians said that the resolution did not condemn Israeli violence against the Palestinians, and added that it did not call for the immediate withdrawal of troops."

The resolution lets the Israelis accomplish what they set out to do. The Israelis themselves denied any intent to permanently occupy the West Bank towns. This is a wink and a nod. The real problem is the Israeli coalition governments own half-hearted aims. If this is all they set out to do, they can do it. But when you think about it, the likely gains are miniscule compared to the grief it causing the US.

[Lucas1]

What the hell is going on in this world? If I was Israel I would just say "f*ck you - you come live with this sh** everyday"

I hope Israel does NOTHING in response to this crap

[CasearianDaoist]

Being President of the council realy does not mean much. The Council itself does bot mean much without US and British Commomwealth troops. Russia or China will not send troops. Where the UN will be in twenty tears, now that's a good question.