Friday, December 2, 2005
This adds more to yesterday's welcome story, Pushing for balance at the UN:
Bolton Says Palestinian Resolutions Demonstrate UN Irrelevance
The General Assembly, consisting of all 191 member governments, passed resolutions very similar to measures introduced annually by Arab nations for at least 30 years. The U.S. was joined by no more than seven other nations in rejecting the resolutions, which won up to 160 votes.
``These resolutions are purely symbolic,'' Bolton told reporters at the UN. ``It is one reason why many people say the UN is not really useful in solving actual problems. We have been making enormous progress toward solutions in the Arab-Israeli conflict, and that progress has benefited from UN participation, but it does not benefit from needless repetition of meaningless resolutions in the General Assembly.''
Bolton, who has pressed UN member governments to reduce the number of General Assembly resolutions, said it was up to them to ``decide they want to do things that are relevant.''...
And this, from our occasional friends north of the border is also a welcome sign (Hat Tip to BornIn1965 in the forum):
Ottawa set to reject anti-Israel resolutions
...In a speech in the General Assembly yesterday, Gilbert Laurin, Canada's second-in-command at the UN, said Ottawa is unhappy with the body's tradition of passing numerous resolutions that only add to the rancour in the region.
The language of the resolutions "creates a sense of imbalance, and seems to suggest that it is only Israel that has obligations," said Mr. Laurin, who spoke because Ambassador Allan Rock was travelling.
"The responsibilities of other actors, including Palestinians, are often not sufficiently emphasized, nor are references to Israeli security needs. Canada will not support resolutions that use emotive and provocative language in place of the straight facts."
Took 'em a while to catch on. Hope it sticks and spreads.
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I'm glad to see Canada with us on this.
My first "hat tip". I feel so proud!
:-D
It's good to see Bolton making an impact. And good to see Canada stepping up to the plate, too.
"The language of the resolutions 'creates a sense of imbalance, and seems to suggest that it is only Israel that has obligations,' said Mr. Laurin, who spoke because Ambassador Allan Rock was travelling."
What was their first clue? Not only what gets said via these resolutions (and endlessly repeated in the MSM), but additionally what doesn't get said "creates a sense of imbalance." E.g., this report, once again from IRIS, concerning a self-described, non-Wahhabi Muslim reporting on life in Israel, some excerpts:
"Muslim Arab citizens of Israel are afforded all the rights and privileges of Israeli citizenship."
"As a non-Wahhabi Muslim, I have personally faced [Wahhabi] barbarism and have watched Christians, Hindus and other minorities being persecuted on false pretenses."
"Large Arab residences, wide spread construction activity and big cars underlined the prosperity and affluence of Palestinians.
"I asked my Palestinian taxi driver how he feels about moving to the territories under Palestinian Authority. He said that he could never think of living outside Israel.
"Israel is one of the few countries in the Middle East where Arab women can vote. Muslim women, in fact are more liberated in Israel than in any Muslim country. Israeli law prohibits polygamy, child marriage and the barbarity of female sexual mutilation."
How often does this type of reportage end up in the MSM or otherwise widely disseminated? Has Christian Amanpour, et al. ever reported from this perspective?
Ambassador Bolton update at VOA, US Blasts Security Council for Failing to Condemn Terror Attack in Israel.
I'm beginning to like this guy, he's turning out even better than expected. It's like bringing Wilt Chamberlain onto a high-school team, keeping in mind the Left/Dems and Dems, along with a handful of conspicuously dull witted Republicans (e.g., Voinovich, OH), wanted to shut him down and bring a manipulable Pee Wee Herman type onto the team instead. h/t American Future