US veto gives Israel 'licence to kill'

[DuctapeFatwa]

"It's a black day for the United Nations and for international law," said chief Palestinian peace negotiator Saib Uraikat on Tuesday. "I hope that Israel will not interpret the resolution as a licence to kill President Arafat."

But Dore Gold, an adviser to Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon and a former Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, told Reuters: "Israelis are asking themselves, ‘Where was the UN Security Council when Israeli citizens were slaughtered last week in two suicide bombing attacks?’ " "Israel found itself in an Orwellian situation by which its war on terrorism was to be judged in a Security Council resolution sponsored by Syria, one of the main state supporters of terrorism in the world," Gold said.

But Syrian UN envoy Faisal Mikdad called the veto "regrettable" and said Israel "should not be a member of the United Nations because it is not a peace-loving country.

As he addressed the Security Council after the vote, al-Kidwa recalled the 1982 massacre of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon by Israeli-backed Lebanese Christian militia. The massacre took place while Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was defence minister. Sharon was later found indirectly responsible by an Israeli enquiry and sacked from his post. "Just to remind you that today is the 21st anniversary of the massacre of Sabra and Shatila. Do you remember that? Do you remember Mr. Sharon?" al-Kidwa said.

http://english.aljazeera.net/Articles/News/ArabWorld/Fe...

[damnraddem]

1. So the U.S. opposed the resolution because 'it attacked Israel.'

Let's assume that's true -- a big concession. Now, if Israel kills Arafat, what will the Palestinians, the entire Muslim world, say? Not only that Israel killed him, but that the U.S. approved. Further, what if Arafat suddenly dies, but Israel says it didn't kill him? The world will say that Israel assassinated him and that the U.S. approved. A pretty stupid veto! True, U.S. foreign policy has long been stupid in relation to Israel; but this is a real low point.

[AndyTiedye]

3. That's What the PNAC Gang Wants!

They want Israel to kill Arafat and for the US to be associated with the whole mess.
They want a holy war just as badly as Bin Ladin does.

[The Zanti Regent]

5. Don't forget the TV Preachers

They want Armageddon and they cannot wait until 2/3 of all the jews are exterminated accrding to Revelation.

These people are BEYOND SICK!

[loudnclear]

2. Same place they were when Israel launched missile assassinations

killing innocent Palestinains women and children. That's were the UN was.

[kalash477]

4. clarification

the US wanted to put something in the resolution condemning the terrorism of Hamas and Islamic Jihad saying otherwise it would be detrimental to the road map, the Syrians would have none of it.

I hope you all know that syria is a state sponsor of terrorism.

[Tinoire]

6. Kind of like we all knew Iraq had WMDs right?

Where did you get this intel? The Office of Special Plans?

[Djinn]

9. how long is a resolution

kalash477 most of us aren't thick we know what Hamas and Islamic Jihad get up to and we know that Syria has financially backed terrorists (so has the US govt - or is it not really terror when it's Chileans, El Salvadorans and Afghani's being killed??)

Why does Palestinian terror need to be mentioned EVERY time the word Israel is? When condemning the suicide bombing of a public bus by Hamas et al the media, politicians, commentators, the UN etc can simply say "I (we) utterly condemn the brutal and indicriminate killing" no-one ever expects them to add "oh but the IDF should also stop shooting children and demolishing houses" so why is a reference to Hamas neccesary when condemning the violence of the Israeli govt?

[Voltaire99]

7. Is anybody surprised? Blame Dems and Repugs for this one

The last time Bush managed to squeek a little protest over Israeli plans, he was quickly slapped silly by both aisles of Congress. Democrats honked as madly as Repugs with AIPAC, as usual, telling them just how loud to honk.

The White House has since learned not to trifle with Sharon. What a shame that our foreign policy is held hostage by this "man of peace"...

[proud patriot]

8. This makes me sad

[drewb]

10. btt

n/t