UN mission to Jenin

[Saint Marcus]

It seems Israel is boycotting the UN mission to Jenin. Typical.
And of course the UN is just giving in. Typical.

Anyway, a team of dutch investigators in Jenin confirmed that there wasn't a bloodbath. Though the team did report numerous human rights violations (not surprising really). Sadly, the UN won't find it out for itself thanks to it's own attitude, and that of Israel.

[rah]

I'm impressed marcus, this if the first time I'm unsure just who you're trolling. Keep it up.

RAH

[KrazyHorse]

When in doubt, assume it's the US.

[Adalbertus]

Apparently Israel has to hide something. Apparently not a clear massacre. But they succeeded. We'll not know what.

[Eli]

Think about it :

The UN is determined to send this comitee to Jenin and dissagrees to Israel's terms.
Israel agrees to an American proposal to end the siege on Arafat.
The UN backs off, and Anan is thinking to disband the mission.

[KrazyHorse]

Eli, the UN is considering scrapping the mission because your government won't let them into the country, not because there's a backroom deal in the works.

[Saint Marcus]

Israel agrees to an American proposal to end the siege on Arafat.

Proposal? It was a demand. And Sharon didn't want it at all, but couldn't say no yet again.

Eli, the UN is considering scrapping the mission because your government won't let them into the country, not because there's a backroom deal in the works.

Exactly.

I'm impressed marcus, this if the first time I'm unsure just who you're trolling. Keep it up.

In this case: Israel, UN, USA, Europe.

Israel for blocking the UN mission
The UN for giving in.
The US for supporting Israel (and are likely to quit support to the UN mission).
Europe for just not caring at all.

[Adam Smith]

Attached is a recent Washington Post editorial explaining some of the Israeli objections. Some of the highlights include:

For more than 50 years, Magen David Adom (MDA), the Red Cross's Israeli counterpart, has been excluded from the ICRC and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Opposition from Arab states and their allies within the international Red Cross groups has closed the doors to the MDA and its emblem, the red shield of David. It matters not that Israel's MDA meets, and for a half-century has met, all the requirements of international membership.

. In 1999, when he was ICRC president, Mr. Sommaruga was upset by a speech made at a federation meeting by then-American Red Cross President Bernadine Healy, in which she criticized Israel's inexcusable exclusion. Afterward, he said to her: "If we're going to have the shield of David, why would we not have to accept the swastika?"

I don't see why these kinds of issues could not have been worked out in a mutually agreeable and timely manner.

[Urban Ranger]

They can find an excuse wherever they look. Really, if not this, then something else.

It's not surprising that the US is blasting Iraq for not letting UN inspectors in, but didn't say a thing about this.

[Guardian]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
They can find an excuse wherever they look. Really, if not this, then something else.

Excuses are like @ssholes - everyone's got one...

Anyone who wants an excuse will always find one - that doesn't mean everyone else has to accept it...

It's not surprising that the US is blasting Iraq for not letting UN inspectors in, but didn't say a thing about this.

I guess some countries are "more equal than others"...

[Jon Miller]

most definitely

Jon Miller

[Zoid]

Israel will pay for its arrogance. Invoke sanctions against Israel just like against Iraq. The UN was prevented from inspecting suspicious factories there. What´s the difference between Iraq and Israel in this aspect?

[ravagon]

Originally posted by Kamrat X
Israel will pay for its arrogance.

That's one way to look at it. Another way is that Israel realized it was being set up and refused to play along.
Their demands - Composition consisting of Neutrals/Allies who didn't have an axe to grind against them, and military personel who knew how to analyse a battlefield, weren't unreasonable ...

Bit of a difference in situations between Israel and Iraq as well. The Iraqis agreed to the inspections at the end of the Gulf War in the ceasefire agreement. Israel was under no such obligation.

[Guardian]

Originally posted by Kamrat X
Israel will pay for its arrogance. Invoke sanctions against Israel just like against Iraq. The UN was prevented from inspecting suspicious factories there. What´s the difference between Iraq and Israel in this aspect?

Isn't that pretty obvious?

The US likes Israel, but they don't like Iraq.

That's all the difference they need.

Even when Israel attacked a US ship (the USS Liberty), killing 34 Americans and wounding 174, the US government pretty much just put a lid on the whole thing and refused to "embarrass an ally"...

Like I said, some countries are "more equal than others".

[The Mad Monk]

The difference is that the terms imposed on Iraq were imposed on a defeated power. Israel has not been defeated.