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Israel/Zionism See other Israel/Zionism Articles Title: Ban Ki-moon's Duplicitous Criticism of Israel Ban Ki-Moon’s Duplicitous Criticism of Israel by Stephen Lendman Ban exclusively serves Western interests, a loyal imperial servant throughout his tenure, taking no action against US-led NATO or Israeli high crimes. Addressing Security Council members on Tuesday, his comments rang hollow - calling Israel’s settlement activities “provocative acts.” Specifically, he addressed approved plans for 150 new housing units, saying “increas(ing) the growth of settler populations further heighten(s) tensions and undermine(s) prospects for a political road ahead.” Israel’s settlement project has been ongoing for nearly half a century. Over 600,000 settlers live on stolen Palestinian land - in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Throughout Ban’s tenure as UN secretary-general, thousands of illegal housing units were built. He did nothing to oppose them - effectively endorsing Israel’s illegal project, ignoring Palestinians ethnically cleansed to permit it. His Tuesday criticism was muted and meaningless - on the one hand, citing “Palestinian frustration under the weight of a half century of occupation and the paralysis of the peace process.” On the other, shamelessly accusing them of “(s)tabbings, vehicle attacks and shootings…targeting Israeli civilians” - ignoring virtual daily Israeli extrajudicial executions, nearly 170 cold-blooded murders since October 1, including defenseless women and children, along with collectively punishing an entire population. Twenty Israelis were killed, only six by stabbings. Vehicle attacks are rare. Shootings almost never happen, soldiers and militarized police alone using guns and other weapons as instruments of state terror against defenseless Palestinians. During over nine years as UN secretary-general, Ban did nothing for Palestinian rights, nothing to demand Israeli accountability for high crimes, violating his sworn mandate to support fundamental human rights in all nations, according to inviolable international law. Throughout his tenure, empty words substituted for meaningful action. Telling Security Council members “(t)he parties must act - and act now - to prevent the two-state solution from slipping away forever” ignored reality on the ground. Israel’s settlement project prevents Palestinian self-determination. So does hardline rogue state policy. The only viable solution is one state for all its people. It’s too late for other options. Years ago, two states were possible. No longer. Israel controls most of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, including its resources and most valued land. More is stolen daily, Palestinians increasingly ghettoized, isolated in bantustans. Sovereign viability under these conditions is pure fantasy. Ban knows what he won’t admit. Netanyahu responded as expected, saying “(t)he secretary- general’s remarks provide a tailwind for terrorism.” “There is no justification for terrorism. Those Palestinians who murder do not want to build a state. They want to destroy a state, and they say this openly.” “They want to murder Jews for being Jews and they say this openly. They do not murder for peace, and they do not murder for human rights.” “The United Nations long ago lost its neutrality and its moral force, and the secretary-general’s remarks do not improve its standing.” Fact: Netanyahu is a world-class thug, an unindicted war criminal, heading Israel’s Arab-hating fascist regime. Fact: Terrorism throughout the Occupied Territories is entirely state-sponsored, Palestinians wrongfully blamed for decades of Israeli high crimes. Fact: Palestinians want peace, stability and respect for their fundamental rights. Netanyahu claiming they openly say they want to kill Jews is a bald-faced lie. Fact: The UN never was a moral or neutral force. It’s a longstanding agent of US-led Western imperialism. It’s complicit with Israel in blocking Gaza reconstruction, almost no rebuilding underway, large areas still in rubble, 18 months after Netanyahu’s 2014 premeditated war of aggression - 80% of the population dependent on international aid to survive. On January 14, Press TV said the UN’s database, compiled under its Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism (GRM) containing personal information about potential aid recipients, provides Israel with targets for future attacks. GRM violates Gazans’ “right to life,” according to Law Professor Nigel White. It breaches fundamental international law. It reinforces Israeli control over Gaza - holding 1.8 million Palestinians hostage to suffocating conditions, White stating: “The UN, by becoming party to the GRM, is itself contributing to the maintenance of the blockade and, therefore, is committing as well as aiding and assisting violations of international law.” “If the UN persists in aiding and assisting the implementation of the GRM, it will be jointly responsible (along with Israel) for the injuries and losses caused to the people of Gaza.” The September 2014 UN- brokered GRM blocks its reconstruction - Ban Ki-moon complicit with Israel’s suffocating blockade, its war crimes, and efforts preventing Gazans from rebuilding. It bears repeating. His longstanding agenda refutes his rhetorical support for Palestinian self- determination and peace. He’s Palestine’s enemy, not ally. Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III." http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs. Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 1.
#1. To: Stephen Lendman (#0)
We're seeing a lot of fake reforming these days. E.g. when Merkel prates that multiculturalism has failed or immigration is out of control, she only means that the eggheads have to find a smoother way of putting it over on the citizenry.
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