The UN is vital for peace in the Middle East
The disdain for the United Nations of many American supporters of Israel is misplaced and thoughtless. Without the UN’s help, Israel will not be able to get out of Lebanon for a long time.
It is easy to forget that Israel was founded by a UN resolution. Definitively ending challenges to its right to exist will also have to be legalized by UN resolutions.
The US created the post World War II political order and put the UN at its core. So, Israel’s unconditional American supporters should think again unless their real agenda is to seek a much wider war to dismantle the UN and create a new global system.
There is grievous contradiction in their demands. They want international legitimacy and peace for Israel. Yet they denigrate the UN, which alone can make possible the legal framework, the international agreements and the multinational army necessary to achieve those purposes.
The UN is the global community’s parliament and Security Council. At some point, Israel and its unconditional supporters will have to recognize that peace agreements imposed through canons will inevitably be broken. They will have to recognize that killing implacable enemies does not end hatred; it gives birth to vicious cycles of vengeance for generations.
That was Europe’s experience before centuries old enmities were ended through proactive goodwill after World War II. The UN was created as a vital part of that future of freedom from the “scourge of war.�
For agreements to succeed, all sides must accept them voluntarily. That means each must gain something from it. The acceptance must be legalized through Security Council resolutions. Negotiation is the only way to achieve such acceptance and the UN is the only credible forum in the eyes of the wider international community.
It is well to remember that the global community comprises many heavily armed nations, including nuclear powers. Even super powers like the US can no longer dictate to others. These are the facts of this 21st century. All of us, citizens of the world, must learn to adapt to this global community whatever the historical glory or grievances of our tribes and civilizations.
The impotence of military power is highlighted by Israel’s inability to impose a victor’s surrender on the far inferior Hizballah militia. Killing tens of thousands of people would certainly bring total victory. But Israel would become isolated in the global community, probably distanced even by the US and castigated by its own people.
That leaves Israel no way out other than seeking the UN’s help to neuter Hizballah. It is currently using non-compliance with UN resolution 1559 as the legal basis for its bombing of Lebanon. Similarly, it will have to use future UN resolutions to extricate itself and build the peace. In this context, anti-UN rhetoric is unhelpful for Israel.
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8 Responses to “The UN is vital for peace in the Middle East”
Americans don’t believe in reality. All the world is there to serve us. The UN organized the elections in Iraq we were so proud of and also was responsible for most of the health care activities such as vaccination we used as proof of progress, but this is their duty.
We don’t acknowledge aid. May eastern European countries went out of their way to suppor us in Iraq even sending troops but they got nothing.
We are a pricess and not to do whatever we say is pro terrorist and anti semitic.
Of course the real world does exist with real interests and powers, but we try our best to avoid this unpleasant news.
Of course we will buckle if the Arabs get mad and withdraw a few million barrels per day from production. We love Israel and will do anything for it, but 4 dollars a gallon is too much.
The far right will remember that Jews killed Jesus, that God doesn’t listen to their prayers and they eat Christian babies for passover. Many of the websites which the regular contributers here echo with approval (Hezbullah blew up the people at Qana, an irresponsible photo journalist proves Israel bombs don’t harm Lebanese etc.) will find the flaws with Israel.
Especially because according to these people Israel is failing it’s duty as our ally and proving incompetent in destroying Hezbullah. The fact that Hezbullah has a good chance of taking over Lebanon in ugly civil war will be blamed on the traditional enemy. Do people like Holly and the other regulars here really think Falwell and Limbaugh are their friends?
Evidently.
Brij, the UN is darn near useless when it comes to the Arab-Israeli conflict. Since its initial vote to create Israel, it has been overwhelmingly Israel-hating.
Mr Mod Commenter: Falwell and Limbaugh are not my friends – I am a center/left liberal Jewish Democrat. You are obviously not my friend either.
The UN is desperately in need of reformation and I’ve come to approve of John Bolton’s work as US Ambassador to it.
May on the Right forget that prior to the US being the veto leader at the UN, the USSR vetoed almost everything in their sight. I don’t recall the Right/neocons complaining against the UN during the cold war. The US and Israel vetoed may resolutions before and after 1559, now we have one resolution that’s important.
Hannity has conditioned the right to hate the UN without question. Game over.
In the Hindu holy trinity of Brahma (the Creator), Vishnu (the Preserver) and Shiva (the Destroyer), the people generally remember/worship the last two out of fear and/or expectation. People tend to forget the creator or the father figure.
In India you would find only one or two temples devoted to Brahma, but there millions of temples devoted to Vishnu and Shiva. So is there any surprise that the state of Israel has forgotten that it owes its existence to a U.N. resolution?
The disdain for the UN is completely justified given its record of hostility and double standards towards the U.S. and Israel, and its coddling and appeasement of the worst dictatorships and terror regimes in the world, not to mention its massive failures in Rwanda and dealing with Sudan, the oil for food scandal, sex for food scandals etc. Far from being vital to peace in the ME, the UN has been a complete hindurance to peace with its bolstering of terrorists and dictators.
But Laura the UN isn’t dropping “Made in USA” bombs on the Lebanese, the Israelis are. Did you watch the 700 Club to get Pat Robertson’s take on the ME. Are you ready for the Rapture. When all good Jews must accept Jesus or go to hell with the rest of us “”librals”. (Major snark)