Abbas to UN: Give Palestine international protection

[dipsydoodle]

Source: Tmes of Israel / AFP

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas planned to ask the United Nations to put the state of Palestine under “international protection” in light of the worsening violence in the Gaza Strip, the Palestine Liberation Organization said Sunday.

“President Abbas presented a letter to the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Robert Serry, addressed to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, to officially put the State of Palestine under the UN international protection system and to form a legal committee for immediate follow-up,” it said in a statement.

Abbas also plans to ask for a commission of inquiry into Israel’s air bombardment of the Gaza Strip in an attempt to halt rocket fire into the Jewish state.

“Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas is undertaking several steps and measures to deal with the horrific situation in Gaza,” senior Palestine Liberation Organization member Hanan Ashrawi said in a statement after a meeting of the PLO executive.



Read more: http://www.timesofisrael.com/abbas-to-un-give-palestine-international-protection/

[hack89]

1. How about a commission of inquiry into Hamas shooting rockets? Nt

[The Magistrate]

2. A Peace-Keeping Force With Some Teeth Could Be Of Use, Sir

It might go some way towards preventing rockets being launched.

[hack89]

3. I can't imagine any country offering up their troops

Gaza is too small to be truly defensible. They would be nothing more than international hostages. What will happen if Hamas can't control small groups from using the UN troops as a shield to launch rockets?

[The Magistrate]

4. If That Was Done, Sir

The atmospherics would change somewhat. It would not alter the views of extreme partisans, but it would make people prepared to view the matter fairly much less likely to be impressed by apologetics for Hamas and its ilk.

An enforced 'time out' on both parties would be helpful.

[hack89]

5. I think that Syria and Iraq are a bigger issue right now

They are human disasters on a scale that dwarfs what is happening in Gaza. To send peacekeepers to Gaza would be to admit the UN can't handle the big problems.

[The Magistrate]

6. The UN Cannot Handle Big Problems, Sir: Everyone Knows That, Pretty Much Counts On It, In Fact

But the Israel v. Palestine item is something that the United Nations bears some particular responsibility for, since it was a territory administered by the U.N., through the medium of England's mandate from the League, which when the English relinquished their mandate, it was up to the United Nations to decide the disposition of. It declared a partition, and then let the locals fight it out without much interference for a year and more.

[hack89]

7. I think with all the tectonic shifts presently happening in the ME

It is wise to see how things will settle out before taking drastic action. If, for example, Iranian influence in the area is diminished with a corresponding dimishment of Hamas and Hezbollah then perhaps there will be an opening for more pragmatic Arab voices.

[The Magistrate]

9. Iranian Influence Is, If Anything, Increasing, Sir

The rump Sh'ia state remaining of Iraq is effectively an Iranian satellite, which is a major coup for them. The character of the chief opponent of both this Iraqi Sh'ia state and Assad is such that actual Western, and certainly Israeli, policy, has become support for Assad, however much he was the vile enemy of yesterday.

Nor is Iran too important a patron of Hamas. They are mostly a creature of the Moslem Brotherhood, and the attitude of the present Egyptian government is not nearly so friendly as was the attitude of Mubarek, who used aid to Hamas as a means of placating Brotherhood ire in other spheres.

Iran is certainly Hezbollah's sponsor, and that body is largely committed in Syria, and has no particular desire to engage fully with Israel at present anyway: common commentary to the contrary, Hezbollah was hurt badly by the last Israeli operations in Lebanon, and has no particular wish to repeat the exercise.

[MyNameGoesHere]

8. I would be all for that

it is a shame they are defending themselves with inferior weapons.

[Baconeater]

14. If Gazans had Israel's weaponry

Civilian deaths would be extreme in Israel, because those are who Hamas is targeting.
Gazans defending themselves? If they were defending themselves they'd tell Hamas to stop because they are giving Israel ABSOLUTELY no choice.

[MyNameGoesHere]

15. And Israel is targeting "Snakes"

they don't even call them humans. I wonder where they learned that from?

[McCamy Taylor]

10. Is there anyone on the Council that would veto it right now? Besides the US?

Because I am not sure the US would veto it. Not with some of the things that are happening right now.

[Scootaloo]

11. The US will ALWAYS veto.

[Johnyawl]

12. Without a doubt.

[Comrade Grumpy]

13. Abbas is in danger of becoming irrelevant.

His policy of non-violence acquiescence in the ongoing occupation has achieved zilch. Except for not being bombed by Israel.

[Uncle Joe]

16. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, dipsydoodle.