The UN, Israel, the Fence -- Note Canada's "soft power" surge

* The Simon Wiesenthal Center is demanding the United Nations' General Assembly declare suicide bombings a crime against humanity.

* Israel ignores UN vote against security barrier

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The Simon Wiesenthal Center is demanding the United Nations' General Assembly declare suicide bombings a crime against humanity.

Wiesenthal Center to UN: Declare suicide bombs crime against humanity Jul. 21, 2004, Tia Goldenberg

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is demanding the United Nations' General Assembly declare suicide bombings a crime against humanity.

The statement came with a denouncement of Wednesday's UN vote, which adopted an anti-security fence resolution, 150 for to 6 against.

"Isn't it remarkable that the dominant issue of our time - terrorism and suicide bombing - has not been taken up by the General Assembly, despite the fact that the terrorist culture of suicide bombings continues to claim an increasing number of innocent Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and Jewish victims," the Center's Rabbi Marvin Hier and Rabbi Abraham Cooper said.

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It has been reported that Canada did not vote on a UN resolution that Israel must take down the fence. Why, if it stops suicide bombers? Now stage two of Canada's "soft power" can take place; our minister can stomp his feet, turn his back, and . . . . pout? Have a hissy fit?


Israel ignores UN vote against security barrier

Israel ignores UN vote against security barrier 21 July, 2004, Mark Colvin: Jane Hutcheon on the line from Jerusalem.

JANE HUTCHEON: Well, basically the foreign ministry has said Israel will not stop building, neither will it abdicate its inalienable right to self defence.

[. . . . ] DAN GILLERMAN [Israel's UN Ambassador]: We reject absolutely the attempts to use the law as a political weapon as if the law applies to Israel but does not apply to anyone else. When all is said and done, it is simply outrageous to respond with such vigour to a measure that saves lives and responds with such casual indifference and apathy to the ongoing campaign of Palestinian terrorism that takes lives. This is not justice but a perversion of justice and people of conscience around the world see it as such. [. . . . ]

It makes sense to me.