UN Security Council passes resolution on Gaza cease-fire
NOT TO WORRY
The UN Security Council approved a resolution Thursday calling for an immediate and durable cease-fire between Hamas militants and the Israel Defense Forces now fighting in the Gaza Strip.
[This wording contradicts itself, knowingly. Either it is immediate or it is durable. What's going to make it durable?]
The vote was 14-0, with the United States abstaining.
The vote followed three days of intense negotiations between ministers from key Arab nations and the council’s veto-wielding Western powers - the United States, Britain and France.
The United States, Israel’s closest ally, and Arab nations that have close ties to Hamas negotiated the text of the resolution.
“We are all very conscious that peace is made on the ground while resolutions are written in the United Nations,” British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said. “Our job here is to support the efforts for peace on the ground and to help turn the good words on paper into changes on the ground that are desperately needed.”
[Miliband knows its not capable of affecting things on the ground. ]
The agreement was based on a text drafted by Britain and backed by the US and France - all veto-wielding members of the Security Council - and amendments by key Arab negotiators including the foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Morocco and Qatar.
The agreement “stresses the urgency of and calls for an immediate, durable and fully respected cease-fire, leading to the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.” It “condemns all violence and hostilities directed against civilians and all acts of terrorism.”
[Basiccally its a wish list. But two things are in Israel's favour. It must be durable (that must be worked out) and an immediate withdrawal is not called for.]
It also calls on UN member states “to intensify efforts to provide arrangements and guarantees in Gaza in order to sustain a durable cease-fire and calm, including to prevent illicit trafficking in arms and ammunition and to ensure the sustained re-opening” of border crossings.
The agreement also calls for the “unimpeded provision and distribution” of humanitarian aid throughout Gaza, welcomes the opening of “humanitarian corridors,” encourages “tangible steps” to Palestinian reconciliation and renewed efforts to achieve Palestinian-Israeli peace “where two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace…”
Earlier, Israeli officials in New York maintained their opposition to any Security Council action that would put Hamas on the same footing with Israel.
Israel, as a member state, is legally bound by any resolution in a way that Hamas, operating outside the control of the PA and listed as a terrorist organization by the US and Israel, would not - an asymmetry not typically seen in conflicts involving Security Council consideration.
[I don't think this is true. To be bound, it must be a Chapter VII resolution.]
HERB KEINON, ALLISON HOFFMAN AND YAAKOV KATZ contributed to this report.
I don’t see where you conclude that the resolution does not call for an immediate ceasefire — it does. Further, it provides no enforceable mechanism to prevent Hamas from rearming (”intensify efforts to provide arrangements and guarantees in Gaza in order to sustain a durable cease-fire and calm, including to prevent illicit trafficking in arms and ammunition”).
However, I still believe that most of the players — including Egypt — would like to see Hamas eradicated so the PA can be awarded control over Gaza and the Quartet can immediately compel a Palestinian state (”renewed efforts to achieve Palestinian-Israeli peace where two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace…”).
This is the end-game of the IDF operation and all proposals coming from the international community.
Shalom and Aloha from Hawaii.
Comment by Charles Martel — January 8, 2009 @ 10:55 pm
Its not a Chapter 7 resolution and even if were it would not be legally binding on only one party to a conflict. European governments proposed it as a sop to Arab pressure to do something and to quieten restive Muslim minorities at home. Its devoid of any real specifics and it doesn’t say how the fighting is going to end. The conflict with Hamas will be settled on the battlefield rather than at the negotiating table. As long as Israel has the upper hand, she is in no hurry to reach a deal. The war will continue - and I wouldn’t worry about the useless talk shop called the UN.
Comment by NormanF — January 8, 2009 @ 11:01 pm
The title might as well say “UN Security Council passes Resolution to exterminate Israel”.
If Israel abides by this, then it is carte blanche for Hamas and Hezbollah to exterminate Israel.
..
If this operation stops I think it’s time for a nuclear war. If these jokers are in charge it’s no big deal if the human race doesn’t survive.
Drop the big one.
Let another species have a chance. The polar Bears and penguins are worth more than the idiot countries that run the UN.
Where is Klaatu when you need him?
..
Israel shouldn’t stop til the last Hamas is sent to Jihadist Heaven. If it is illegal then finish them off anyway and then take the consequences. Anything less is suicide.
Why didn’t USA veto?
Comment by Max — January 8, 2009 @ 11:22 pm
The US abstained. It didn’t think the resolution was good enough to vote for knowing that Israel objected but neither did it want to upset the EU and the Arabs by vetoing something they were going to get anyway. As long as America is not insisting Israel should stop fighting, its not going to matter and it won’t matter in Jerusalem. And I don’t think Israel cares what the EU and the Arabs think of Operation Cast Lead. So while it does call for a ceasefire, it doesn’t say how or when nor does it demand an immediate Israeli withdrawal.
Comment by NormanF — January 8, 2009 @ 11:33 pm
Israel’s response should be as follows: “We did not hear anything from the Security Council while Hamas was firing rockets at us, so we have no interest whatsoever in what it has to say now.” End of story.
Comment by Bill Levinson — January 8, 2009 @ 11:49 pm
Bill, my thoughts exactly. There is nothing to discuss with those who seek the destruction of Israel. End of story.
Comment by NormanF — January 8, 2009 @ 11:52 pm
How many more signals does Israel need before they understand that they have to leave the UN? This is beyond ridiculous.
Comment by progressoverpeace — January 9, 2009 @ 12:24 am
Progress, I’ve been on record as advocating that Israel quite the UN for some years now. That den of vipers and Jew haters has nothing to teach Israel about peace and justice. Its just that the Jewish view of those concepts is the opposite of the twisted ones believed in by the world.
Comment by NormanF — January 9, 2009 @ 2:25 am
The Israeli public is behind the IDF and want resolution that leads to peace, security and quiet. Revenge for all the suffering Hamas has inflicted upon us over the years including 2nd intifada. The Israeli public wants to rectify the poor showing by IDF and our Political and diplomatic assholes into a visible and clear defeat over our implacable enemies. The Israeli public is willing to sacrifice and incur casualties for such a result. Few in Israel dissect all of the permutations, re intra politics and grand designs to bring about conditions that will lead to creation of Pali State. In this part of the world you don’t win on points. We must play by the rules of the ME and not America and EU. In this country call ups resulted in 120% mobilization where even those not called up showed up to fight. Fathers offered to replace sons who were wounded and had weddings disrupted etc. Beersheba Ashdod and Ashkelon are holding strong backing the IDF and do not want to see their suffering gone for naught because of weak politicians. For a clear irrevocable positive result(clear victory) The people of Israel are willing to sacrifice and endure any hardship. The IDF must be released and freed from restraints and given clear directives and they will preform to past norms if not exceeding them.
Comment by yamit82 — January 9, 2009 @ 2:56 am
Hah!
Best way to reject terrorists is offer them what they want and they will reject themselves.
Goodbye truce!
Goodbye Resolution.
That was a close one!
Comment by Max — January 9, 2009 @ 5:39 am
Government of Israel just rejected the UN Resolution. Fight on!
Comment by yamit82 — January 9, 2009 @ 6:44 am
Urban battles take their toll
Palestinian Arabs killed three Israeli soldiers on Thursday, more than one any other day in this operation. As usual, IDF hesitates to bomb enemy towns into dust and sends instead Jewish boys into high-risk operations where Palestinian snipers target them from houses and ambushes.
Palestinian guerrillas clearly recuperated from initial shock, and bravely oppose the vastly stronger Jewish forces.
America abandons Israel in UNSC
Despite opposition from both Israel and Hamas, UNSC passed a resolution demanding immediate ceasefire. To sweeten the pill, the UNSC resolution calls for durable security guarantees - which, of course, are not forthcoming. The United States abstained from voting or vetoing the resolution.
The international concern over Jews daring to defend themselves contrasts markedly with UNSC’s lax attitude toward scores of other conflicts raging on the globe.
Israel is unlikely to stop the Gaza operation immediately. Rather, Jews will stay in northern Gaza for some time, cleanse it from Hamas, and hand over to Fatah thugs.
Comment by yamit82 — January 9, 2009 @ 7:48 am
If the UN countries had to actually FIGHT in Gaza to disarm Hamas they wouldn’t hesitate to annihilate the population with bombs rather than have their own soldiers die.
But Israelis? Different story.
If they pass a resolution it has to be International Armed Disarmament of Hamas by combat troops.
A coalition of the unwilling hypocrites.
Comment by Max — January 9, 2009 @ 8:22 am
Re: #11 “Government of Israel just rejected the UN Resolution. Fight on!”
I hope they did so with the proper respect to the United Nations. If it were up to me, the Israeli ambassador or UN representative would have accepted the written UN resolution and then, without even bothering to read it, torn it in half and thrown the pieces on the floor. (There is an excellent portrayal of the Polish governor Jarema Wisniowiecki doing this with a “peace offer” from Chmielnicki’s Cossacks in the movie “With Fire and Sword,” after which Wisniowiecki orders, “Kill them [the Cossack envoys] so they know they are dying.”)
Comment by Bill Levinson — January 9, 2009 @ 1:20 pm
Israel must continue to ignore international pleas for a ceasefire. The international community demanded Israel retreat from south Lebanon and in 2000 Israel complied. Six years later Israel was at war with hezbollah in Lebanon. Likewise, the international community demanded Israel retreat from Gaza and it did so in August of 2005 and now Israel is at war with hamas in Gaza. So it should be fairly obvious that whenever Israel cedes land to its enemies, it leads to war not peace. Israeli occupation was never the problem, its the solution. I think Ted used those words. Israeli control of territory is what keeps the peace. That is why things are quiet on the west bank and the Golan Heights.
Comment by Laura — January 9, 2009 @ 3:49 pm
A correction for those who think that this war or any war can mbe won without boots on the ground. It can not happen.
Comment by Ed D — January 10, 2009 @ 3:02 pm
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