UN gaffe signals israel is losing its grip
Good News! The US's sudden retraction of their proposed Security Council resolution - less than 24 hours after the ambassador proposed it - demonstrates the dramatic extent to which israel has lost its grip over the UN.
Early yesterday, before the US revoked the resolution, the New York Sun presaged the impending retraction:
Israel Left in Dark on U.N. Middle East Plan
By BENNY AVNI
Staff Reporter of the Sun
November 30, 2007UNITED NATIONS — In an unusual move, America's U.N. mission yesterday circulated a proposal to the Security Council supporting agreements reached at Annapolis between Israelis and Palestinian Arabs — before the text had been examined closely by Jerusalem, America's closest Middle Eastern ally.
After closed-door consultations among the council's 15 members, diplomats from China and the only Arab member, Qatar — and some Palestinian Arabs — expressed support for the American proposal. But while the American ambassador to the United Nations, Zalmay Khalilzad, hailed the council members' backing, his Israeli colleague, Dan Gillerman, said he knew "very little" about the proposed resolution.
This is a very significant development for a couple of reasons:
- That the US would circulate a proposed SC resolution without first running it by israel is unprecedented and demonstrates that israel is not in complete control.
Security Council resolutions have been ignored by israel before. But, they are nevertheless very significant given that the US destroyed Iraq for "defying" security council resolutions and that they plan on doing the same to Iran for similar reasons.
The last thing israel wants is another SC ruling against them. Hence, israel's remark that "it's not the proper venue."
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Apparently, contrary to what we might have thought, the US ambassador to the UN is NOT under israeli control. This global thrashing at the hands of israel, by the deputy ambassador nonetheless, will exacerbate the differences between them and may ultimately lead to his resignation.
Far be it from me to gloat, but this is very good news and israelis must be gnashing their teeth.
A most interesting development indeed..., but the US revoked the resolution immediately just because Israel didn't want a time line for its promise to make efforts toward final negociations before end 2008. Israel basically made no commitments in Annapolis more than promises to make an effort..., but even that, Israel wouldn't allow the US to take to the SC. Although I do see that there is a clear change among the US people in terms of US foreign policy towards Israel, I am unfortunately not as optimistic when it comes to US politicians.