As I said, I do not wish to discuss the merits of the UN...
I haven't read every post here, but it does seem a bit odd, from my standpoint, that one is comfortable suggesting that the U.N. is "manipulated" by "Arab States" and then say you don't want to talk about its merits. One would have to assume you don't care for it much.
But the UN was not the only body that gave the Jews back their homeland after the world stood by silently as millions were systematcally anihalted...
You arguement is spurrious... the UN makes thousands of decisions...
http://www.state.gov/p/nea/rls/22562.htm
Ok, if you could explain who gave Zionists/"Jews back their homeland" (a phrase littered with propaganda-ish rhetoric, since it isn't as if the Jews that migrated to Palestine were actually from Israel/Palestine) other than those who supported the U.N. resolution it would be helpful. Meanwhile, for Arabs and Palestinians of the region who had felt that they had been disrespected for a long time by Western powers who seemed (from their perspective) to continually appease Eastern European Jewish immigrants, this only led them to attack Israel in 1948 (although I suspect a quest for power was also in play, to be fair).
However, in reality, the Jews in Palestine/Zionists were being used for the interests of the major Western powers. They could have cared less about a "Jewish state" if it didn't serve their interests. Like when it served the "interests" of those in power in the West to do nothing for Jews who were placed in concentration camps in Nazi Germany...nothing was done and 6 million died. Power and interests are how most nations act in the realm of international politics. Let's not candy coat things anymore than they need to be.
to ignore the power of the Arab block to systematically hold Israel to a higher standard than any other State is to proclaim ignorance about how the UN creates consencus...
Yes, the US with certain administrations uses vetos to knock down blatant disregard for evenhandedness and fairness by the Arab block and their allies... but you see what hell the US population is getting for being Israel's ally.
I am not saying the Arab states are any good at all. Never has that phrase been uttered here. Israel is, however, held to a higher standard because they are a nation who are almost entirely made of immigrants of one ethnic background which disregarded and had many who openly declared the annihilation of the other group in the region (Arabs), and really only exist as a nation because they had the support of powerful nations like the U.S.
Yes, the U.S. "gets hell" from many because of their support of Israel, but apparently has never cared much about it. In the view of those in power, currently, popularity with those outside of the U.S. means nothing, and is turned into a overly simplistic "the critics are wrong and we are right" argument.
Even the US can not be relied on to consistantly protect Israel from the persistant international scapegoating of Israel.... (for example: Israel was expected to just sit powerless and recieve persistant scud attacks from Iraq during gulf war I. under Bush Sr.'s admin.
Israel is a scapegoat in Palestine like France was a scapegoat in Algeria or the U.S. was a scapegoat in Vietnam.
In the end.. Israel knows that they can only rely on themselves... History has taught the Jewish nation to expect the worst...
the UN is only as good as the sum of its parts, it does not opperate in a bubble... when majority of its members have interests to undermine Israel's existance... you cannot simply say this is not the action of hostile nations, but the UN,,, that is the crux of what I am saying...
Is playing the victim the only way to create peace? Isn't that what is the true goal here? The convenient lack of perspective on history and over-generalization about "members" of the U.N. here is quite disturbing. As someone who is of Jewish background I understand the feeling of being victimized, but it cannot be used as an excuse to make such sweeping generalizations about everyone who you do not agree with. If you honestly believe the U.N. plans to annihilate Israel I don't know what can be said to convince you otherwise. Of course that isn't realistic, most likely, but Israel is not completely innocent here as has been outlined here and elsewhere. The problem us Jews have is that we feel so darn victimized that many of us can't see beyond that perspective. Many Muslims and Arabs suffer the same fate, which leads to the terrible act of suicide bombing, etc.
My view is enough already. We need to stop turning everything into black and white and try to find common ground with those who want peace, which I believe has been proven to be most people.
[Edited by - PresIke on 07-23-2006 01:35 AM][Edited by - PresIke on 07-23-2006 01:37 AM][Edited by - PresIke on 07-23-2006 01:39 AM]Forum Po Po and #33 for a reason...
7/22/2006 11:05 PM
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');UN Secretary General Kofi Annan himself has said that it "sometimes seems as if the United Nations serves all the world's peoples but one: the Jews."