Previous post
The second time might be the charm for the UN Security Council’s desire to appear relevant when it comes to the Israel-Hamas war.
This time, however, there is no Secretary-General trying to invoke Article 99 on “humanitarian catastrophe” grounds – which the United States killed with a veto. But the effort to look like the UN is going to Do Something™ abides. So another resolution regarding the humanitarian needs in Gaza is apparently being negotiated among the members of the UN Security Council.
Having been blind to Hamas’s crimes for the past 15 years, the UN Security Council will vote on yet another resolution that – you guessed it – still doesn’t mention Hamas.
— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) December 18, 2023
Yep, the new resolution does not even mention the word “Hamas” in it. After the failure of the Article 99 vote in the Security Council, the UN General Assembly decided to demand a ceasefire in a non-binding resolution. That’s cute. Apparently, the General Assembly vote is motivating this new Security Council draft, which is being written by the UAE with the United States looking over their shoulder.
The new draft, drawn up by the United Arab Emirates and seen by AFP, calls for an “urgent and sustainable cessation of hostilities to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access in the Gaza Strip.”
It also affirms support for a two-state solution in the region and “stresses the importance of unifying the Gaza Strip with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority.”
In a move criticized by Israel and the United States, the draft does not explicitly name Hamas, though it does call for the “immediate and unconditional release of all hostages” and condemns “all indiscriminate attacks against civilians.”
Ironically, the UN Security Council will be taking up this vote AFTER the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza from Israel was re-opened yesterday in order to allow more aid to go in.
Limited humanitarian aid and fuel deliveries have crossed into Gaza via the Rafah crossing from Egypt, subjected to monitoring by Israel, but U.N. officials and aid workers say it comes nowhere near to satisfying the most basic needs of Gazans.
The draft resolution aims to set up U.N. monitoring in Gaza of aid delivered via land, sea or aid by countries who are not parties to the conflict. The U.N. would notify the Palestinian Authority and Israel of those aid deliveries.
On Sunday the Israel-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza opened for aid trucks for the first time since the outbreak of war, officials said, in a move to double the amount of food and medicine reaching Gaza.
Ah, gotta love the UN. So convinced of their own importance, and always a day late and a dollar short.
The pressure on Israel is not coming from the UN Security Council, or the General Assembly. The pressure is coming from within Israel itself. After the tragic and horrible shooting of three hostages by Israeli Defense Forces in Gaza, the pressure is on the government to get out the remaining hostages as quickly as possible. However, what will the cost of the next ceasefire be?
Reuters reports that Egyptian security sources say Israel and Hamas are open to a renewed ceasefire and hostage release.
Hamas is insisting on choosing which hostages are released and demanding that Israeli forces withdraw behind pre-determined lines.
While Israel agreed to…
— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) December 17, 2023
The full text reads:
Reuters reports that Egyptian security sources say Israel and Hamas are open to a renewed ceasefire and hostage release.
Hamas is insisting on choosing which hostages are released and demanding that Israeli forces withdraw behind pre-determined lines.
While Israel agreed to Hamas setting the list, it wants to see the list before setting the time and duration of the ceasefire. Israel refuses to withdraw and remains determined to dismantle Hamas.
Remember, the ceasefire-plus-prisoner-release for hostages deal ended because HAMAS ended it with the murder of innocent civilians in Jerusalem, and resuming rocket attacks. Somehow, they always have the fuel for rockets, but never enough to cook food with.
Here’s a thought for the UN Security Council. If you are serious about the line in the resolution about the “immediate and unconditional release of all hostages,” then what kind of influence and leverage are you putting on Hamas to cooperate? The International Red Cross has been basically nothing but a glorified shuttle service, and has had zero access to the hostages as required by the Geneva Convention. The problem is that Hamas is more than willing to let their own civilians die of starvation, so withholding aid to Gaza in order to force them to hand over the hostages is a non-starter. Which means that the UN resolutions are toothless and worthless, because one side completely ignores them, and one side isn’t willing to commit suicide to satisfy the United Nations’ need to feel relevant and powerful.
So why is the United States letting the UN Security Council move forward with a new resolution? Probably because the Biden administration keeps waffling between the truth that they know and the fantasy that they wish to speak into existence. The idea that the “two-state solution” is viable at the moment is a joke, and yet, like the Iran Deal, the Biden administration keeps acting as if it could be right around the corner. This Security Council resolution makes everyone look like they are Doing Something™ and taking this situation Very Seriously™, which is why the United States will let it go forward. This is all performance art to the UN.
Featured image: United Nations flag via iStock, cropped and modified
Scott says: Sorry, but it’s a hard truth that Ham-Ass will drag this out and play as many games as possible, continuing to use their hostages as pawns. Israel needs to come to the realization that the remaining hostages are most likely dead, or soon to be, and do what needs done, ignoring the joke that is the UN, and steamroll all of Gaza until every last terrorist and supporter is dead. Hopefully after that, some hostages will be found alive.
The West has won battles but lost wars because it does not keep in mind the dictums of William Tecumseh Sherman in this situation: Israel lives in a harsh environment. Trying to deal with Hamas is like trying to deal with other irrational groups/individuals like Hitler. They are not rational actors. In a rational world there are no enemies, merely conflicts of interest which you can negotiate and reach a modus vivendi. In the real world, however, not everyone is a rational actor. There are foes like Hamas who are people irrationally willing to die in order to kill you. And while it is true that the enemy always hates us for a reason, it is his reason, not ours. I feel deeply sorry and empathize with the anguish of the Hostages and their families. Hamas is playing Israel, holding hostages as bait to rearm and refit and embed themselves further into the Gazan civilian population. Worse, by succumbing to Hamas’s tactics, Israel will display weakness, endanger ongoing military operations, and most of all erode its deterrence which is instrumental in holding off the use of weapons of mass destruction and more terrible attacks in the future. William Tecumseh Sherman stated: “Our enemy has chosen war so let’s give it to him. We can make war so terrible and make them so sick of war that generations pass away before they again appeal to it.” The United States and UK followed such a philosophy and were merciless and bombed German and Japanese cities killing hundreds of thousands. It was the last war the United States unequivocally won. Israeli leaders need to have as their bottom line, the survival of the only Jewish state and do what it takes to win. Israel at the very beginning should have occupied the Gaza-Egyptian border and sealed it. They should never have agreed to a ceasefire in the first place. If they agree to a second they may get a few hostages back but will lose the War.
2 Comments