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THE U.N. AND THE ARAB LEAGUE CHARADES
March 25, 2001
The U.N. and Arab League charades have gone on for so many years now. Never
has either body taken serious action when it comes to Israel. Always the U.S.
is there to block the way, to twist things from potentially useful to impotent,
to manuever so that the U.S. remains dominant internationally and Israel remains
dominant in the region.
Long ago the U.N. should have acted seriously regarding Israel. For instance,
a suspension of Israel's participation in the General Assembly could be brought
about at this time if the Arab nations really wanted to; and such is not even
subject to the infamous U.S. veto. As for the current debate in the Security
Council about an international force or just plain presence to help "protect"
the Palestinians, why not force an American veto if that's what it comes to --
at least that would clearly demonstrate the near-total isolation of Israel and
the U.S. Surely that is preferable to another long-winded approved resolution
that lacks any teeth and whimpers again into history.
And when it comes to the Arab League, with the Arab states meeting in summit
this coming week in Amman, why doesn't the Arab League itself not only finally
demand that the U.N. take serious and effective action against Israel, but put
some credibility behind such a demand by actually doing so itself?
For so long now both the U.N. and the Arab League have been charades when
it comes to dealing with Israel. Tragically, the same is true with what seems
about to happen once again this week.
U.N. COUNCIL DEBATES ON MIDEAST
UNITED NATIONS (AP - 24 Mar) - With time running out before a key
meeting of Arab leaders this week, the U.N. Security Council huddled
Saturday to debate a Palestinian demand for U.N. observers to help
end six months of clashes with Israel.
The closed-door meeting focused on proposed Palestinian changes to a
watered-down European resolution. Diplomats were trying to reach
middle ground before the Mideast summit in Jordan on Tuesday, but
British U.N. Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock said they weren't close.
``The spectrum is very wide still,'' he said.
Negotiations were expected to continue Sunday.
The United States, Israel's biggest ally on the council, has threatened to
veto a resolution backing the creation of a U.N. force because Israel
opposes the measure. As one of the five permanent members of the
council, the United States can override any vote.
U.S. officials don't want it to come to that. They fear a veto could spark
more violence between the Palestinians and Israel and infuriate oil-rich
Arab countries, whose support they need to shore up sanctions against
Iraq and Afghanistan.
Europeans also want to avoid a veto. They have drafted a compromise
resolution that chides Israel for allowing expanded settlements in
Palestinian areas and imposing blockades on Palestinian towns. It also
notes that most of the more than 400 people who have died in the
violence have been Palestinians.
The European proposal stops short of asking for an observer force.
``This is an attempt to neutralize the possible veto,'' said Nasser
Al-Kidwa, the Palestinian representative to the United Nations. ``It may be
a European initiative, but one that was cleared in advance with the United
States.''
The Palestinians have proposed a number of changes, but the main one
revives the request for an observer force.
Al-Kidwa said the Palestinians might agree to a more gradual approach
toward monitoring the violence, but would not elaborate.
The Europeans have proposed asking Secretary-General Kofi Annan to
investigate the violence and report to the Security Council within a month.
Al-Kidwa said the Palestinians "might be willing to consider this notion
of
a two-step approach."
In December, a similar Palestinian request for a U.N. force failed by one
vote after fierce lobbying by the United States.
Annan said last week that it would be virtually impossible to deploy a U.N.
observer force as long as Israel remains opposed.
Annan was heading to Amman on Saturday to address the Arab summit,
and council members have urged him to try to break the
Palestinian-Israeli impasse. European diplomats said the task would be
easier if Annan went armed with a resolution approved by the Security
Council.
DEADLINE NEARS FOR U.N. DECISION ON MIDEAST CRISIS
By Evelyn Leopold
UNITED NATIONS, March 25 (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council was nearing its
self-imposed deadline on Sunday to take a unified position on the Middle East
crisis the United States could back before an Arab summit begins this week.
Palestinians and their supporters were insisting, at a minimum, that the 15-member
body show willingness to consider an unarmed U.N. military and police observer
force they believe could help save lives in the West Bank and Gaza. Israel rejects
any international invention at this time.
To meet Washington's objections on an observer force and prevent a possible U.S.
veto, four western European council members put forth an alternative draft resolution.
Their draft would "express the readiness of the council to act immediately upon
the agreement of the parties to set up any kind of mechanism to protect civilians."
But U.S. delegates raised objections throughout weekend negotiations, although
chief representative James Cunningham hoped some consensus could be found.
"There's a lot of things we agree on, and there are some things that we don't
agree on. The question is whether we can separate the two," he said after Saturday's
negotiations, which resume on Sunday.
Diplomats said Cunningham opposed numerous provisions in the latest European
draft by Britain, France, Norway and Ireland, which included some language from
the original Palestinian-initiated resolution
"The spectrum is still very wide," British ambassador Sir Jeremy Greenstock said.
"But we are determined as the European four to try and get an answer from the
Security Council that is positive and forward looking rather than taking to task
one of the sides for things that have happened in the past."
ISRAEL WANTS NO RESOLUTION
Council members worry that a failure to agree on a resolution would escalate
tensions in the Arab world and make it difficult for U.N. Secretary-General Kofi
Annan, who will address the Arab League Summit. Middle East foreign ministers
are already mapping out an agenda in Amman, Jordan, before presidents and prime
ministers speak on Tuesday.
Israel wants no resolution at all, saying it might inflame passions further rather
than help end six months of revolt that has killed more than 400 people, most
of them Palestinians. Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza after the 1967 Middle
East war.
In practice, there can be no observer force without Israel's consent as no country
would, under such circumstances, offer the United Nations any personnel. But
Palestinians want the council to acknowledge outside help is needed.
"We have a duty to keep coming back and we believe the council has the obligation
to take action," Palestinian U.N. delegate Nasser al-Kidwa said.
He called the European text an "Americanized version that did not really reflect
European positions."
Israeli envoy Aaron Jacob said that he believed the Security Council should not
be involved at all.
"If we want to prevent casualties among civilians, then what it takes is for
the Palestinians to stop violence. There is no need for the intervention. We
are opposed to the Security Council taking any action," Jacob said.
The European draft, supported by Russia, also asks both sides to resume contacts
at all levels and for Israel to end its closure of Palestinian areas and transfer
millions of dollars in tax revenue owed to the Palestinians. It expresses concern
at planned expansion of Israeli settlements.
Sponsors of the Palestinian-initiated resolution for an observer force include
seven members of the Non-Aligned Movement: Bangladesh, Jamaica, Colombia, Singapore,
Tunisia, Mauritius and Mali. China supports this group as does the Ukraine, although
its position this week was unclear.
A resolution in the 15-member council needs a minimum of nine votes and no veto
from its five permanent members to be adopted. A similar resolution failed in
December because it did not receive the minimum nine "yes" votes, thereby sparing
Washington the use of its veto.
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March 2001
SHARON UPSCALES VIOLENCE TO UNPRECEDENTED LEVELS (March 31, 2001) Yesterday, on Palestinian Land
Day, the Israeli army killed five Palestinians in Nablus and one in Ramallah
during civilian demonstrations protesting the Israeli occupation. 150 Palestinians
were injured, several of them in critical condition.
CHOMSKY ON THE MID-EAST CONFLICT (March 31, 2001) Well, just how dangerous is the crisis in the Middle East? There is a UN Special
Envoy, a Norwegian, Roed-Larson. A couple of days ago, he warned that Israel's
blockade of the Palestinian areas is leading to enormous suffering and could
rapidly detonate a regional war.
FIVE PALESTINIANS KILLED AS WAR OF WORDS FLARES IN MIDDLE EAST (March 30, 2001) Clashes
raged across the Palestinian territories Friday, killing five Palestinians, as
Israelis and Palestinians exchanged fiery rhetoric on the traditionally violent
anniversary of a 1976 Israeli crackdown on Arab demonstrators.
CLASHES ERUPT AMID WAVE OF ANTI-ISRAELI PROTESTS (March 30, 2001) Israeli troops opened fire with live rounds on
Friday to try to halt Palestinians marching in cities across the West Bank and
Gaza Strip to demand civil rights and an end to Israeli occupation.
AN ISRAELI OFFERS HOPE AMIDST THE DARKNESS (March 30, 2001) In the past two weeks, we are witnessing the beginning of a new phase: Israelis
and Palestinians are extending a hesitant hand to each other, across the IDF's
barricades and checkpoints.
A CONFLICT SINKING TO NEW DEPTHS (March 29, 2001) The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians has sunk to appalling new
depths with several days of intensified violence that left children on both
sides to form the bulk of the dead.
ISRAELIS STRIKE, NOBODY RESPONDS (March 29, 2001) The Egyptians and Jordanians could and should totally suspend their relations
with Israel; but they do not. The Arabs could collectively demand Israel be suspended from the U.N. General
Assembly; but they did not decide to do so at their little summit just ended
where they in fact did nothing serious.
ASSAD & SADDAM "ATTACK" (March 28, 2001) Lot of rhetoric, more than expected in fact. But mostly a smookescreen for never-ending
impotence and inexcuseable weakness. So much for the Arab Summit in Amman.
Until those Arab "leaders" who have squandered the wealth and heritage of their
countries, and indeed of their once powerful civilization, are replaced; until
the "client regimes" of the Arab world are no more; this tragic spectacle known
as Arab "summits" will continue to be a deep embarrassment and a historic tragedy.
ARAB SUMMITS - RIDICULOUS SPECTACLES (March 27, 2001) Arab "leaders", the "client regimes", and Arab "summits", have been ridiculous
spectacles for a long time now.
Last time they met like this the American armies were descending on Arabia, getting
ready to destroy Iraq and put one of their own, the despicable British-created
Emir, back on his oil throne in Kuwait City.
ARAB SUMMITEERS AND CROCODILE TEARS (March 26, 2001) "They will talk and talk and talk and look important
and remain as always, impotent, indecisive and inactive.
They might pledge a few pennies to the Palestinian dying
or the mortally wounded, they might voice support of the
6-month-old Intifida, but nothing but pomp and ceremony
will come of it all."
TIME TO FORCE A U.S. VETO AND TAKE SERIOUS ACTION AGAINST ISRAEL (March 25, 2001) What the Arab States meeting in summit in Amman on Tuesday should do is not
a mystery: First they should insist on a U.N. Security Council resolution that has teeth;
and if the U.S. vetos so be it.
THE U.N. AND THE ARAB LEAGUE CHARADES (March 25, 2001) The U.N. and Arab League charades have gone on for so many years now. Never
has either body taken serious action when it comes to Israel. Always the U.S.
is there to block the way, to twist things from potentially useful to impotent,
to manuever so that the U.S. remains dominant internationally and Israel remains
dominant in the region.
ISRAELI ARMY BRUTALLY ATTACKS PEACEFUL CIVILIAN PROTEST MARCH (March 24, 2001) Today at 1:00 p.m., the Israeli army fired sound bombs, tear gas, and rubber
coated steel bullets at thousands of peaceful protesters at the Al-Ram
checkpoint.
SHARON MOVING FAST (March 24, 2001) haron and company are now likely to move quickly to further "control"
the Palestinians and establish their hegemonic and war-threatening policies
in the Middle East.
Today in Occupied Palestine (March 23, 2001) Amr Moussa and the Arab political elite representing the "client regimes"
have been deceived and acted foolishingly, as well as selfishly, for quite
a long time now.
AL-JAZEERA - ARAFAT STILL TWISTS TO ISRAELI AND U.S. TUNE (March 22, 2001) Al-Jazeera satellite TV now feeds a hungry Arab world, one starved for
so long that even this carefully-controlled Qatari-financed TV news and
pictures source has met with considerable success.
WHAT SHOULD BE WITH ISRAEL (March 22, 2001) If the Arabs regimes were serious, indeed if they were truly independent,
they would institute a Arab and Muslim regional boycott of Israel at this
point, at least suspend all diplomatic and economic relations with Israel,
and forcefully move to have the U.N. General Assembly suspend Israeli credentials
(as was done with South Africa in the days of Apartheid) as soon as the
U.S. again prevents the Security Council from acting in the days ahead.
ARAB AND MUSLIM GROUPS IN USA WORSE THAN EVER (March 20, 2001) We were wrong in our analysis earlier today. The Arab and Muslim groups
did not even manage a few hundred protestors at the White House today --
the number was closer to a few dozen at most, including the handful of
fanatical bearded and side-curled Naturei Karta Jews who are encouraged
by these groups to show up these days.
WASHINGTON SCENE: ARAB AND MUSLIM GROUPS PROVE IMPOTENCE ONCE AGAIN (March 20, 2001) It's depressing, almost pathetic, to watch the Arab and Muslim American
groups "protest" these days. Leaderless and strategyless, though as usual
feverishly combining all of their capabilities together to create even
this, the groups managed to bring maybe five or six hundred persons to
the sidewalk across from the Washington Hilton last evening for a carefully
self-controlled demonstration.
WHAT ISRAEL IS DOING IS "FORBIDDEN" (March 19, 2001) "What is being done in the territories is simply forbidden. To safeguard against such acts, people have established laws and norms; those who wish to return to the norms current a century ago ought not to be surprised when they are treated as pariahs - indeed, as ghosts from bygone days."
ARABS URGE U.N. TO SEND INTERNATIONAL FORCE TO PALESTINIAN (March 16, 2001) The Israelis will insist on a U.S. veto of any Security Council resolution
involving any serious observer force.
And Shimon Peres willingly serving Ariel Sharon as his Foreign Minister
makes it much easier for the Israelis to deflect international pressures.
WE DIDN'T SEE; WE DIDN'T KNOW (March 15, 2001) The Palestinian people have many symbols, and one of them is Bir Zeit
university near Ramallah - the secular intellectual center of the
society.
SHARON COMETH (March 14, 2001) Monday in Washington the various Arab-American groups will stage a protest
demonstration outside the Washington Hilton where now Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon will be talking to the lead organization that makes up the Israeli-Jewish
lobby in Washington.
U.S. MEDIA ESTABLISHMENT HELPS PREPARE SHARON'S WAY (March 13, 2001) Sharon's PR people are working hard preparing his way for a triumphant
visit to the USA in a few days. They choose Lally Weymouth, long a "friendly
journalist", for one of his first major interviews -- published in Newsweek
this week.
ISRAELI CONCENTRATION CAMPS (March 12, 2001) If barbed wire were used, the symbolism would be too much like concentration
camps of old.
BIR ZEIT UNIVERSITY CRIES OUT FOR HELP (March 11, 2001) As usual these days, the Palestinian people are being collectively
tortured into submission with still expanding forms of bondage, oppression,
and brutal force.
PERES FRONTS FOR SHARON AS ISRAELIS PUSH FORWARD MAJOR PROPAGANDA (March 10, 200198) Who is more despicable is debateable these days. But surely Shimon
Peres is deserving of nomination. As Israeli army snipers pick off Palestinians and as Israeli army bulldozers dig trenches around Palestinian towns and cities, Peres fronts for the new Sharon regime telling the world the Israelis are going to "make life better for the Palestinians"!
TRENCH AND SIEGE WARFARE (March 8, 2001) The words, and the acts, go back before the bible itself -- trench warfare
and siege. The Romans built walls and laid siege to Jerusalem and Masada.
Trenches, though for a different purpose, became synonymous with World
War I.
CRIES FROM PALESTINE AND CRIES FROM ISRAEL (March 6, 2001) My sister-in-law just called crying - about 4 hours
ago Al-Bireh had about 3 minutes of heavy gunfire.....
her neighbor, Aida, was walking back home on the Friends
road from Ramallah after shopping for the Eid holiday.
OH MY GOD! CLINTON WON'T LEAVE THE WORLD ALONE! (March 5, 2001) They came to Washington -- the two-for-one power couple -- with the campaign
promise to bring health care to all Americans; they left (but Hillary is
already back on Capitol Hill) with the dangerous corporate for profit HMO's
in power and more uninsured than ever despite the economic juggernaunt.
MIDEAST CONFLICT TEARS AT BROTHERLY BOND (March 5, 2001) Hostilities engulf West Bank siblings,
who remain close despite their split between
Jewish and Muslim faiths.
BOMB BLAST IN ISRAELI COASTAL CITY (March 4, 2001) A powerful bomb exploded during morning rush hour
Sunday in a crowded open-air market in the Israeli coastal city of Netanya.
ISRAELIS LAY SIEGE TO PALESTINIAN CITIES (March 3, 2001) Sometime in the future there will be a day of reckoning for the Israelis.
But that day is not yet here while the suffering of the Palestinians is, literally,
more and more as each day dawns.
FIELD OF THORNS (March 3, 2001) The Palestinian uprising in the West
Bank and Gaza Strip, which in late September 2000 began as a wave of popular
protest against Ariel Sharon's belligerent incursion into Jerusalem's sacred
Haram al-Sharif, has developed into a full-fledged war of attrition against
the Israeli occupation, which rather ironically paved the aggressive right-wing
leader's path to power.
REGIONAL WAR PREPARATIONS AND PUBLIC OPINION MANIPULATION ESCALATE (March 2, 2001) Iraq responded to U.S. air strikes
on Feb. 16 by deploying thousands of troops from six divisions to positions
near the Jordanian border, triggering military alerts in Tel Aviv, Washington
and in several Gulf capitals.
SHARON AND PERES TEAM UP (March 2, 2001) It was a massacre. Not since Sabra and Chatila
had I seen the innocent slaughtered like this.
The Lebanese refugee women and children and men
lay in heaps, their heads or arms or legs missing,
beheaded or disemboweled.
SHARON GETS READY TO ACT. ARAFAT GETS READY TO LEAVE? (March 1, 2001) Arafat and regime are about collapse -- i.e., the money and capabilities provided
by the U.S. and Israel to keep the PA going are being cut off if Arafat doesn't
shape up!
BLEAK FUTURE FOR BOTH PALESTINIANS AND ISRAELIS (March 1, 2001) Shimon Peres has many secrets to try to keep, and that explains his desperation
to stay in power practically at any cost. Ariel Sharon knows this.
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