Israel Matzav

Ban Ki-Moon blames Israel

In an appalling article in Forbes, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon goes beyond drawing moral equivalence between a member state and a terror organization and actually blames the member state (guess which one) for the terror organization's goals not having been achieved. He also calls for a 'unity government' (unconditionally) between Fatah and Hamas, thereby ensuring that the rejectionists are represented in the 'Palestinian Authority.' And he makes it sound like Israel paying ransom for Gilad Shalit is an ordinary 'prisoner exchange'(Hat Tip: Real Clear Politics).

Egypt has commendably led the effort to reach such a ceasefire, just as it has worked to address several other related issues: the full reopening of the crossings into Gaza; the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Corporal Shalit; and the reunification of the Palestinians.

Moon acts like negotiating with a terror organization - trading murderers for a kidnap victim - is something every government ought to do. I wonder if he would encourage other governments to make that kind of trade.

Open crossings, as envisaged in international agreements, remain essential if any ceasefire is to hold and much-needed humanitarian and reconstruction assistance is to reach the people. If we are to restore a properly functioning crossings regime, Israel's legitimate security concerns will need to be addressed, and the Palestinian Authority should be in a position to assume its responsibilities under these agreements. This, in turn, requires the Palestinian people to be reunited under one government committed to the principles of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

Maybe the 'Palestinian Authority' 'should' be in a position to assume responsibility for the crossings. But it's not. The 'Palestinian Authority' has absolutely no presence in Gaza and it is not in any position to police the uses of concrete and steel, which can be used both to build homes and to construct rockets. Moon's solution is to bring Hamas into the 'Palestinian Authority' so that the bears can guard the honey. Moon has no concept of the reality on the ground.

And I wonder to which principles of the 'Palestine Liberation Organization' he wants them to commit. 'Armed struggle'? 'Palestine from the River to the Sea'? The 'phased plan'? The 'three noes of Khartoum'?

I have stated that the United Nations will work with a united Palestinian government that brings Gaza and the West Bank under the authority of President Abbas. I urge all Palestinian parties, and all regional and international players, to support the process of Palestinian reconciliation.

Note that unlike Secretary of State Clinton, Moon places no conditions on Hamas' participation in a 'Palestinian reconciliation.' Accept Israel's right to exist? Give up terror? Accept past agreements? Why worry about those things when there are 'Palestinians' who want another $2.8 billion in international funds to spend on weapons.

But here comes the most odious part of this article:

Just as we need a unified Palestinian government committed to the peace process, we need an Israeli government that will uphold its commitments. Just as we need the Palestinians to address security issues--as the Palestinian Authority is doing so commendably in the West Bank--we need the Israelis to implement a genuine settlement freeze.

Settlement expansion is illegal and unacceptable and does so much to undermine confidence in the political process throughout the Arab world. I am urging all international partners to make this issue central to renewed international peace efforts.

There is nothing illegal about 'settlement expansion.' Israel liberated Judea and Samaria and the Golan Heights in a defensive war. For more than forty years, the 'Palestinians' have refused to settle the disputed territories because they will not accept Israel's right to exist. This is an existential conflict. There is no law - and certainly not one that is enforceable against a state without its consent - that requires Israel to sit on empty land. Terror and war have consequences, because if they don't, they just happen again and again.

I don't know what Moon thought he was seeing when he visited Gaza, but I can tell you one thing he was not seeing: Reality.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 3:40 PM