UN surges to Arafat's defence
The UN demanded that Israel drop its threat to remove the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, by an overwhelmingly majority yesterday, thus isolating Israel and the US.
The general assembly voted 133-4 the day after President Bush blamed Mr Arafat for undermining the current round of peace negotiations, which have been stalled by renewed violence.

The resolution condemned Israel for threatening to remove Mr Arafat, but also the Palestinian suicide bombings. Despite this even-handedness, the US and Israel voted against, supported by Micronesia and the Marshall Islands.

The resolution, though non-binding, served as a reminder of the isolated US position on the Middle East.

Earlier this week, it vetoed a similar resolution in the security council, saying that while it did not support removal of Mr Arafat it would not back wording that did not also condemn terror groups by name.

Last night it offered the same reason.

Its ambassador, John Negro ponte, said the motion was unbalanced and omitted specific mention of Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade in its condemnation of suicide bombing.

Israel said earlier this month that it wanted to remove Mr Arafat from the Middle East equation, one cabinet minister going so far as to suggest that he might be killed.

The general assembly resolu tion attacks Israel's policy of "extrajudicial killings and their recent escalation", and condemns "the suicide bombings and their recent intensification". It urges the Palestinian Authority to "take all necessary measures to end violence and terror".

The authority's UN representative, Nasser al-Kidwa, said that Palestinians faced an increasingly oppressive mili tary power and called the threats to Mr Arafat "insane".

He added: "We have been very clear in our condemnation of actions committed by Palestinian groups in contravention of international law, specifically the suicide bombings that have targeted civilians in Israel."

On Thursday, Mr Bush criticised Mr Arafat for undercutting the road map to peace.

Do you actually believe Israel gives a crap about the world's opinion ? If they decide to "erase" Arafat, there's nothing the world can do about it. Besides, THEY have to live with him, not the rest of the world.

<font color = lightgreen>*gasp* Oh, my goodness! The UN has spoken, so I suppose we'd all better straighten up. [img]tongue.gif[/img] :rolleyes:

If it were up to me, I would have "removed" Arafat from the picture 15 years ago. </font>

Apart from economic sanctions and an oil blockade? No, not much beyond that. [img]smile.gif[/img]

And of course, the rest of *THE WORLD* has to live with a fascist government in Israel...

Since so many posting on this forum are very much in favor of the UN continuing dialogue with countries as the means of change; I am wondering what the people here at IW feel the UN should do. How can the UN prevent or discourage Israel from killing Arafat? If Israel does kill Arafat, what should be the UN's response?

How about a resolution authorizing a multi-national invasion/peacekeeping force, as a last resort of course. After all Israel fits the profile. They are aggressive towards their neighbors, oppressive towards the people whose land they occupy, and possess WMDs. They also have ignored and defied countless U.N resolutions in the past.

<font color=cadetblue>Very true Chewbacca, that resolution should be implemented if Israel knocks off Arafat. The only problem is their arrogant ally that will protect it from the UN...</font>

<font color = lightgreen>If the US can ignore the UN and do what we please, then why can't the UN ignore the US and do whatever it pleases? That seems only fair, even if we disagree with the UN's decisions.

Seriously, aren't the UN diplomats supposed to be adults? If so, then why are they always trying to get permission as if they were little children? [img]graemlins/saywhat.gif[/img] </font>

Not permission, just consensus. See, there are some people in the world who are willing to sacrifice power and face in order to do the right thing by trying to reach peaceful agreements instead of launching all-out war when their expectations arn't met. Personally I agree with you Azred, I think the UN really does need to take a firmer stand toward Israel as well as Palestine ;) There are too many wild cards being played here in the forms of Hamas as well as the official Israeli military, and 'side-taking' is only going to turn up the heat. A neutral force must intervene in this instance to disable and 'de-fang' so to speak the unstable militancy in the region by instituting thorough counter-terrorism operations within Palestine as well as shutting off military funding and support to Israel.

Apart from economic sanctions and an oil blockade? No, not much beyond that. [img]smile.gif[/img]

And of course, the rest of *THE WORLD* has to live with a fascist government in Israel... </font>[/QUOTE]Well, didn't we ALL create Israel to begin with ? They were not welcome anywhere, so they moved overthere. They weren't welcome there too, except this time they fought back. And now you call THEM fascists ? That's a hoot in a holler.