There is a huge list of United Nations resolutions that concern Israel ; and the Human Rights Council has adopted more resolutions condemning Israel than it has all other states combined. However Israel has not cooperated in many of these but there was no real intervention made by the UN on this issue. From 1967 to 1989, the UN Security Council adopted 131 resolutions directly addressing the Arab-Israeli conflict.

In early Security Council practice, resolutions did not directly invoke Chapter VII but the UN reiterated the need for a truce. Although the phrase, ‘Acting under Chapter VII’ was never mentioned as the basis for the action taken, the chapter’s authority was being used.

The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a number of resolutions saying that the strategic relationship with the United States encourages Israel to pursue aggressive and expansionist policies and practices.

Blocked efforts to adopt sanctions

The 9th Emergency Session of the General Assembly was convened at the request of the Security Council when the United States blocked efforts to adopt sanctions against Israel. The United States responded to the frequent criticism from UN organs by adopting the Negroponte doctrine declared on July 26, 2002, by John Negroponte, the United States ambassador to the United Nations. He stated that the United States will oppose Security Council resolutions concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that condemn Israel without also condemning terrorist groups.

During the last conflict in 2009, United Nations Security Council Resolution 1860, was adopted on January 8, 2009. However ultimately, the resolution was unsuccessful. The resolution called for “an immediate ceasefire in Gaza leading to a full Israeli withdrawal, unimpeded provision through Gaza of food, fuel and medical treatment, and intensified international arrangements to prevent arms and ammunition smuggling.”

All members stressed the importance of an “immediate and durable ceasefire.” In a statement released immediately after the Israeli cabinet session on January 9, the Israel government stated it would not accept the UN resolution, declaring that, “the IDF will continue to act in order to attain the objectives of the operation – to bring about a change in the security situation in the south of the country – this in accordance with the plans that have been approved upon embarking on the operation.”

In addition, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called the resolution “unworkable” due to continued rocket fire by Hamas.

It is in this context we should look in to the stand taken by the new media spokesmen of Mahinda, Mohan Samaranayake. He has said :

“However, the past of certain countries which preach human rights, good governance etc., too should be looked at. They are the ones who invaded other countries to expand their empires while at the expense of thousands of lives.

However, they now have gone public with their findings. This is grossly illegal. They have also tried to get this document to the United Nations Human Rights Council through the back door, without informing the country concerned – Sri Lanka. There is a procedure when discussing such issues.”

Shedding crocdile tears

But the real situation is that UN apart ‘from going public’ has done nothing to make the Mahinda regime implement the LLRC recommendations. Recently the UN shed crocodile tears about the sufferings of the Tamils and genocidal war that passed through their homeland. It is very similar to the situation in the Middle East around Israel.

Israel could get away with all its crimes because of good economic and security arrangements with America and the west. The Mahinda regime also followed these policies closely. It went to war with military and socio-economic agreements with US, India and other global powers. So except for some sobs about the sufferings of Tamils no real pressure is exerted on their blue-eyed baby, Mahinda, by these countries pointed out by Mohan Samaranayaka.

Mohan talks like a man who has lost his foothold and direction ; it is the same political disease that has affected both Vasudeva Nanayakkara and Tissa Vitharana.

Vickramabahu Karunaratne