Please condone our crimes

Another day, another war crime committed by Israel (and at least the generally ineffective UN chief is speaking out):

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged Israel on Wednesday to reconsider its decision to declare the Gaza Strip a hostile territory, warning that any cutoff of vital services would violate international law and punish the already suffering civilian population.

In one of his toughest statements aimed at Israel since taking the reins of the UN on January 1, Ban said he was very concerned at the Israeli government’s declaration earlier Wednesday and its announced intent to interrupt essential services such as electricity and fuel to the civilian population.… 

“Such a step would be contrary to Israel’s obligations towards the civilian population under international humanitarian and human rights law,” he said.

“I call for Israel to reconsider this decision,” the secretary-general said in a statement read by UN spokeswoman Michele Montas.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s security cabinet on Wednesday voted to declare the Gaza Strip a “hostile territory,” approving among other things the disruption of power and fuel supplies to the Strip, as a response to the ongoing Qassam rocket fire at Israeli communities.… 

Of course, if you’re the Australian Jewish community, punishing the Palestinians is all in a day’s work (and must make those Zionists so proud to be Jewish.) Their real concerns? The supposed anti-Israel “ratbags” on Labor’s backbench. What this really means is that the established Jewish community doesn’t want any politician of any party to speak out of turn, criticize Israel or its policies and be good little, obedient Zionists.

In other words, be the kind of friend that Israel doesn’t need. Real friends actually tell those they respect when they’re acting badly. The parochialism and immaturity of the Zionist establishment is truly pitiful to watch.

Text and images ©2024 Antony Loewenstein. All rights reserved.

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