Even Ban calls flotilla 'not helpful'
Even UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has called the flotilla of fools currently heading for Gaza '
not helpful.'
“[Secretary General Ban Ki-moon] continues to
believe that a flotilla will not help to address the dire situation in
Gaza and reiterates his calls on the government of Israel to lift all
closures, with due consideration of Israel’s legitimate security
concerns,” Undersecretary General Jeffrey Feltman said at a Security
Council briefing.
The statement comes days after Israeli Ambassador to the UN Ron Prosor called on Ban to condemn the so-called “Freedom Flotilla,” amid preparations by the Israeli Navy to block its three boats from reaching Gaza.
“The international community must send an
unambiguous message to the organizers and participants of these
provocations that such initiatives only serve to raise tensions in our
region,” Prosor wrote. “This attempt to challenge Israel’s naval
blockade of Gaza holds the potential for dangerous consequences The
flotilla’s sole purpose is to create provocations that pose security
risks, and constitute a breach of international law.”
Feltman said Ban was “closely following media reports” about the flotilla.
Ban is also 'deeply concerned' with the health of terrorists.
Feltman also said Ban was “deeply concerned”
about Palestinian prisoners being held by Israel, naming Islamic Jihad
detainee Khader Adnan, who has been on hunger strike for nearly two
months to protest his detainment under administrative detention, which
allows Israel to hold prisoners without charging them.
The Red Cross on Tuesday said Adnan faced “immediate risk of death.”
He wouldn't be facing an immediate threat of death if he weren't starving himself. Maybe he should consider breaking his fast.... /Just sayin'....
In any event, it is truly amazing how much time Ban has to devote to Gaza given the true suffering going on in Syria, Iran, Iraq and many other countries that are living under truly repressive regimes. Oh wait... Gaza is also living under a truly repressive regime... Hamas... It would be nice to see Ban criticize them once in a while too.
By the way, if the name "Jeffrey Feltman" rings a bill, it's because
it should. He's a former State Department diplomat....
Labels: Ban Ki-Moon, flotilla of fools, Gaza plenty, hunger strike, Jeffrey Feltman
BWAHAHAHAHA! UNRWA giving out negative Christmas bonus
UNRWA, the United Nations entity whose purpose in life is to ensure the perpetuation of 'Palestinian refugee' status, announced on Tuesday that it cannot pay salaries in December due to... wait for it... a '
budget crisis.'
On Tuesday the UN announced it will not pay wages next month to
thousands of workers in the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) due to a
growing financial crisis.
The cancellation of wages comes as UNRWA is in a $36 million deficit according to AFP.
...
Under secretary general Jeffrey Feltman said "UNRWA will be unable to
adequately fund its core services...and will be unable to pay
December salaries of its 30,000 teachers, medical personnel and social
workers."
And guess whom they're blaming....
While announcing its financial woes UNRWA criticized Israel's stance towards Hamas controlled Gaza.
Since Israel suspended building materials
to Gaza in October after discovering the materials were used in
building terror tunnels, 19 out of 20 UNRWA construction projects in
Gaza have been halted, putting "thousands of people out of work"
according to Feltman.
On Tuesday UNRWA chief Filippo Grandi said "the Israeli blockade -- which is illegal -- must be lifted." The same day Hamas spokeswoman Israa al-Mudallal said
the situation in Gaza is "on the verge of explosion," calling on the
international community to send materials, presumably building
materials.
Feltman is an old
State Department hack... But I'm still waiting for someone to explain to me why the cancellation of 19 out of 20 UNRWA construction projects (assuming that's true) would have precipitated a financial crisis. It should have lowered UNRWA's operating expenses. And while we're at it, it's worth noting that the blockade is not 'illegal' - it's a response to rocket fire from Gaza on Israeli civilians.
Labels: Gaza plenty, Jeffrey Feltman, UNRWA
Obama blowing off Syria
On Sunday, I reported that the United States may be '
disengaging' from Syria. Now, top US diplomat Jeffrey Feltman has made some blunt comments that make it seem that President Obama's attempts to
romance Bashar al-Assad are over.
Jeffrey D. Feltman, the assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, told the Washington Post Tuesday, “Syria has said that it wishes to have its territorial expectations met through a peace agreement with Israel and that Syria recognizes the essential role that we can play in achieving that… But our interest in a comprehensive peace doesn't mean that we are going to start trading our other interests in Iraq or Lebanon in order to get Damascus to like us better."
...
His statements to the Washington Post made it clear that the Obama administration is holding the Golan Heights, which Syria occupied until the Six-Day War in 1967, as a bargaining card. The area includes vast water resources and the Hermon Mountains, a key observation post and military assets. It overlooks Israeli communities around the Sea of Galilee and before the 1967 war, children in the area slept in shelters as there was constant Syrian shelling of their homes from the Heights.
Feltman said that ‘Syria’s friends are undermining stability in Lebanon….There is a cost to the potential in our bilateral relationship to what Syria's friends are doing in Lebanon."
Bye bye Bashar. It's long overdue.
Labels: Bashar al-Assad, Golan Heights, Jeffrey Feltman, Syria
