Mocking The UN (and us)

On Friday, following almost two weeks of relative inaction, the United Nations Security Council finally drafted UN Resolution Order 1860, a crucial directive  calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, Israeli Defense Force withdrawal, transfer of crucial supplies to the region, and humanitarian aid to devastated Palestinians whose appalling situation is nothing short of catastrophic.

Early on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert not only renounced Resolution 1860 outright, but criticized the United Nations and the international community for demanding a ceasefire of Israel before its ’security goals had been met’. In a moment of prescient irony, Prime Minister Olmert went on to claim that ‘what is acceptable for every other country in the world is barely accepted when it comes to Israel.’

And in that regard, the man definitely has a point.

At last count, Israel has either flagrantly disregarded or flat our ignored at least 66 UN Security Council Resolutions in its brief 60 years as a nation - tallying an impressive ratio of more than 1 UN Resolution ignored per year of existence. Bravo.

In this regard Israel leads the Middle East and not surprisingly - the rest of the world - in UN Security Council Resolution belligerence.

Just to help elaborate on what an important number ‘66′ actually is, it is important to note that Iran has been issued 24 UN Resolutions since the United Nations was formed, and prior to the first Gulf War, Iraq amassed a whopping total of 14 Security Council Resolutions. For both Iran and Iraq these ‘excessive’ Resolutions not only led to stringent and crippling UN Sanctions, but in the case of Iraq - the ‘moral justification’ for regime change and the disastrous invasion of the country.

It’s truly amazing the United Nations has time for any other Global business as the drafting of Israeli Security Council Resolutions must surely keep them inundated. What do you suppose would happen if say Libya or North Korea or even Syria had 66 outstanding UN Resolutions that were arrogantly ignored, rejected, and lampooned by their Heads of State? What would our leaders then decry?

So Mr. Olmert is indeed correct. What is demanded of every other country in the world is not demanded of Israel.

Or perhaps put in simpler terms - why should a bully who goes unpunished cease being a bully?

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CODA: A Quick List of the 66 UN Resolutions (woops, make that 67 now) which have been ignored since Israel’s formation in 1948. Note to the reader, you may want to get a sandwich and beverage:

1. Resolution 111: ” … ‘condemns’ Israel for raid on Syria that killed fifty-six people”.
2. Resolution 127: ” … ‘recommends’ Israel suspends its ‘no-man’s zone’ in Jerusalem”.
3. Resolution 162: ” … ‘urges’ Israel to comply with UN decisions”.
4. Resolution 171: ” … determines flagrant violations’ by Israel in its attack on Syria”.
5. Resolution 228: ” … ‘censures’ Israel for its attack on Samu in the West Bank, then under Jordanian control”.
6. Resolution 237: ” … ‘urges’ Israel to allow return of new 1967 Palestinian refugees”.
7. Resolution 242 (November 22, 1967): Termination of all claims or states of belligerency and respect for and acknowledgement of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of every State in the area. Calls on Israel’s neighbors to end the state of belligerency and calls upon Israel to reciprocate by withdraw its forces from land claimed by other parties in 1967 war. Interpreted commonly today as calling for the Land for peace principle as a way to resolve Arab-Israeli conflict
8. Resolution 248: ” … ‘condemns’ Israel for its massive attack on Karameh in Jordan”.
9. Resolution 250: ” … ‘calls’ on Israel to refrain from holding military parade in Jerusalem”.
10. Resolution 251: ” … ‘deeply deplores’ Israeli military parade in Jerusalem in defiance of Resolution 250″.
11. Resolution 252: ” … ‘declares invalid’ Israel’s acts to unify Jerusalem as Jewish capital”.
12. Resolution 256: ” … ‘condemns’ Israeli raids on Jordan as ‘flagrant violation”.
13. Resolution 259: ” … ‘deplores’ Israel’s refusal to accept UN mission to probe occupation”.
14. Resolution 262: ” … ‘condemns’ Israel for attack on Beirut airport”.
15. Resolution 265: ” … ‘condemns’ Israel for air attacks for Salt in Jordan”.
16. Resolution 267: ” … ‘censures’ Israel for administrative acts to change the status of Jerusalem”.
17. Resolution 270: ” … ‘condemns’ Israel for air attacks on villages in southern Lebanon”.
18. Resolution 271: ” … ‘condemns’ Israel’s failure to obey UN resolutions on Jerusalem”.
19. Resolution 279: ” … ‘demands’ withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon”.
20. Resolution 280: ” … ‘condemns’ Israeli’s attacks against Lebanon”.
21. Resolution 285: ” … ‘demands’ immediate Israeli withdrawal form Lebanon”.
22. Resolution 298: ” … ‘deplores’ Israel’s changing of the status of Jerusalem”.
23. Resolution 313: ” … ‘demands’ that Israel stop attacks against Lebanon”.
24. Resolution 316: ” … ‘condemns’ Israel for repeated attacks on Lebanon”.
25. Resolution 317: ” … ‘deplores’ Israel’s refusal to release Arabs abducted in Lebanon”.
26. Resolution 332: ” … ‘condemns’ Israel’s repeated attacks against Lebanon”.
27. Resolution 337: ” … ‘condemns’ Israel for violating Lebanon’s sovereignty”.
28. Resolution 347: ” … ‘condemns’ Israeli attacks on Lebanon”.
29. Resolution 3379: “…’establishes’ Zionism as a form of racism and racial discrimination”.
30. Resolution 425 (1978): ” … ‘calls’ on Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanon”. Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon was completed as of 16 June 2000.
31. Resolution 427: ” … ‘calls’ on Israel to complete its withdrawal from Lebanon”.
32. Resolution 444: ” … ‘deplores’ Israel’s lack of cooperation with UN peacekeeping forces”.
33. Resolution 446 (1979): ‘determines’ that Israeli settlements are a ’serious obstruction’ to peace and calls on Israel to abide by the Fourth Geneva Convention”.
34. Resolution 450: ” … ‘calls’ on Israel to stop attacking Lebanon”.
35. Resolution 452: ” … ‘calls’ on Israel to cease building settlements in occupied territories”.
36. Resolution 465: ” … ‘deplores’ Israel’s settlements and asks all member states not to assist Israel’s settlements program”.
37. Resolution 467: ” … ’strongly deplores’ Israel’s military intervention in Lebanon”.
38. Resolution 468: ” … ‘calls’ on Israel to rescind illegal expulsions of two Palestinian mayors and a judge and to facilitate their return”.
39. Resolution 469: ” … ’strongly deplores’ Israel’s failure to observe the council’s order not to deport Palestinians”.
40. Resolution 471: ” … ‘expresses deep concern’ at Israel’s failure to abide by the Fourth Geneva Convention”.
41. Resolution 476: ” … ‘reiterates’ that Israel’s claim to Jerusalem are ‘null and void’”.
42. Resolution 478 (20 August 1980): ‘censures (Israel) in the strongest terms’ for its claim to Jerusalem in its ‘Basic Law’.
43. Resolution 484: ” … ‘declares it imperative’ that Israel re-admit two deported Palestinian mayors”.
44. Resolution 487: ” … ’strongly condemns’ Israel for its attack on Iraq’s nuclear facility”.
45. Resolution 497 (17 December 1981) decides that Israel’s annexation of Syria’s Golan Heights is ‘null and void’ and demands that Israel rescinds its decision forthwith.
46. Resolution 498: ” … ‘calls’ on Israel to withdraw from Lebanon”.
47. Resolution 501: ” … ‘calls’ on Israel to stop attacks against Lebanon and withdraw its troops”.
48. Resolution 509: ” … ‘demands’ that Israel withdraw its forces forthwith and unconditionally from Lebanon”.
49. Resolution 515: ” … ‘demands’ that Israel lift its siege of Beirut and allow food supplies to be brought in”.
50. Resolution 517: ” … ‘censures’ Israel for failing to obey UN resolutions and demands that Israel withdraw its forces from Lebanon”.
51. Resolution 518: ” … ‘demands’ that Israel cooperate fully with UN forces in Lebanon”.
52. Resolution 520: ” … ‘condemns’ Israel’s attack into West Beirut”.
53. Resolution 573: ” … ‘condemns’ Israel ‘vigorously’ for bombing Tunisia in attack on PLO headquarters.
54. Resolution 587 ” … ‘takes note’ of previous calls on Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanon and urges all parties to withdraw”.
55. Resolution 592: ” … ’strongly deplores’ the killing of Palestinian students at Bir Zeit University by Israeli troops”.
56. Resolution 605: ” … ’strongly deplores’ Israel’s policies and practices denying the human rights of Palestinians.
57. Resolution 607: ” … ‘calls’ on Israel not to deport Palestinians and strongly requests it to abide by the Fourth Geneva Convention.
58. Resolution 608: ” … ‘deeply regrets’ that Israel has defied the United Nations and deported Palestinian civilians”.
59. Resolution 636: ” … ‘deeply regrets’ Israeli deportation of Palestinian civilians.
60. Resolution 641: ” … ‘deplores’ Israel’s continuing deportation of Palestinians.
61. Resolution 672: ” … ‘condemns’ Israel for “violence against Palestinians” at the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount.
62. Resolution 673: ” … ‘deplores’ Israel’s refusal to cooperate with the United Nations.
63. Resolution 681: ” … ‘deplores’ Israel’s resumption of the deportation of Palestinians.
64. Resolution 694: ” … ‘deplores’ Israel’s deportation of Palestinians and calls on it to ensure their safe and immediate return.
65. Resolution 726: ” … ’strongly condemns’ Israel’s deportation of Palestinians.
66. Resolution 799: “. . . ’strongly condemns’ Israel’s deportation of 413 Palestinians and calls for their immediate return.
67. Resolution 1860 (9 January 2009) called for the full cessation of war between Israel and Hamas.