Kofi Annan finally issued a statement about the attack on Israel by palestinian terrorists. He apparently got a case of the vapors over it.
The Secretary-General is alarmed about the recent events in Gaza and Israel, and is following developments closely. He is concerned about the attack that took place yesterday, when Palestinian militants tunneled from Gaza into Israel, and killed two Israeli soldiers and took another hostage. He calls for the safe and immediate release of the captured soldier.
The Secretary-General urges all parties to exercise restraint at this grave moment, and to take all possible steps to avoid further escalation and bloodshed.
Let’s compare this statement with the one that Kofi made about the targeted assasination that went awry last week:
The Secretary-General deeply deplores the killing of three children and the injury of other bystanders in an attempted Israeli targeted killing of alleged militants in Gaza on 20 June. The Secretary-General calls on Israel to respect international law and to ensure that its actions are proportionate and do not put civilians at grave risk. The Secretary-General sends his condolences to the families of the dead and injured.
The Secretary-General is fully cognizant of Israel’s legitimate security concerns in light of continuing rocket fire, which endangers Israeli civilians, and calls on the Palestinian Authority to do all in its power to halt such actions.
Some difference, hm? No condolences sent to the families of the Israeli soldiers killed, no forceful statement demanding the return of the kidnapped soldier and the halting of all further attacks on Israeli territory, no calls for the terrorists to adhere to international law (as IF).
But no, there is no bias against Israel at the UN. None at all.
No, really.
I swear.
And Kofi managed to go two paragraphs with the Palestinians and no mention of the word restraint — possibly a record for middle east post-action Kofi-commentary. Of course, we in Israel should exercise restraint, rather than rescue our kidnapped soldier. Nice comparison.
Clearly he’s trying to end the cycle of statements which is inflaming the region.
Kofi Annan is a known entity,and he’s been shilling for the Arabs forever.
This year he appeared at the annual destroy-Israel hate-fest sponsored by the UN’s very own Palestine committee, in which he happily appeared in a group photo under the infamous Palestine-Without-Israel map.
He’s a shit, and it’s really non-news. When pigs fly and he acts like a decent human being, THAT will be news. He is worse than U Thant and Waldheim combined, and that’s saying alot.
I’m alarmed when I burn a piece of toast, I’m concerned when I dont have any spread, and I urge all parties to exercise restraint when the party dip starts running out.
I deeply deplore the killing , when I give a shit.
I write targeted killing of alleged militants, when I try to imply that they aren’t terrorist, and that the Israeli’s don’t really have any right to protect themselves.
I produce this wonderful by line calls on Israel to respect international law , to re inforce that Israel isn’t respecting international law, especially like the Pals respect international law, when they target civilian targets deliberately, or they complain that the crossings aren’t open, and then they kill Israelis manning those crossings.
The Secretary-General sends his condolences to the families of the dead and injured., because we all know how much those poor mothers of the Martyrs hurt and weep. The death of an Israeli? Yawn… Next item on the agenda please.
One possible explanation: The kidnapped soldier isn’t a civilian, and he wasn’t taken by a UN member nation. The terrorists who took him, don’t pretend to honor international law, and it goes without saying that they are criminals, lawbreakers, etc.
The three children, however, were killed by agents of UN nation, who were conducting an illegal operation. It’s fair for Kofi to remind Israel that, in the UN’s view, they’ve fallen short of international standards.
I know Kofi is easy to hate, but here I really think its apples and oranges. A better comparison would be to put Kofi’s remarks about the three palestenian children side by side with one of his reactions to the murder of Israeli civilians. How does that measure up?
Well, let’s compare it with his reaction to the last suicide bombing in Israel:
Whattya think, Dov? Needs work? I see a lot of these statements, and there is never a pure, unreserved condemnation of the terror attack. It is always followed by “urge Israel to show restraint” “urge both parties to yadda yadda yadda.”
I’m not comparing apples and oranges. I’ve been reading–and commenting on–these statements for years.
Kofi Annan is, indeed, very easy to hate.