Hopenchange at the United Nations
On Thursday, the new American ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice (pictured), made her first appearance in the Security Council, and promised a new sense of American 'responsibility' for what goes on throughout the world. Rice also emphasized that the U.S. would work to strengthen protections for civilians in conflict zones and support international prosecutions of war crimes [Like this one? CiJ].What's missing from this article is her final sentence. Israel Radio reported this morning that Rice said that the United States would no longer assume an inherent bias against Israel in the United Nations.
"It is in this spirit of cooperation and determination that we will seek to use this body of international law to minimize human suffering and protect vulnerable populations," Rice said.
She said the International Criminal Court "looks to become an important and credible instrument for trying to hold accountable the senior leadership responsible for atrocities committed in the Congo, Uganda, and Darfur."
The U.S. opposed the court's creation and for the past decade refused to join it. Nevertheless, it has been a key supporter of bringing Sudan's president before the court on charges of orchestrating atrocities in Sudan's Darfur region.
Rice also defended Israel while pressuring it to account for its military actions.
"Violations of international humanitarian law have been perpetrated by Hamas through its rocket attacks against Israeli civilians in southern Israel and the use of civilian facilities to provide protection for its terrorist attacks. There have also been numerous allegations made against Israel some of which are deliberately designed to inflame," Rice said.
"We expect Israel will meet its international obligations to investigate," she said.
Hopenchange anyone?
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:17 AM
5 Comments:
Hopey/changey sux
Its time for Israel to leave the UN. To rely on herself rather than on the goodwill of the world.
That's the kind of hopenchange the Jewish State truly needs.
Rice does not need to assume anything, only to see what really goes on.
Does that mean President Obama and SecState Clinton can be held liable in the eyes of the world as "war criminals" for subsequent killing of Israelis?
Hyperbole, I know, for it would have to be Israel bringing the charges, and we know how far that will get.
RAM,
That's not the point.
Up to now, the US assumed an inbred bias against Israel and took anything observed at the UN with a grain of salt. Now they're saying, we're not necessarily going to give Israel the benefit of the doubt. That's likely to result in a lot more abstentions - and possibly even votes in favor - in the Security Council.
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