Israel to UN: Oops, our bad
posted at 2:30 pm on January 15, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Israel shelled a UN compound today and later issued an apology, of sorts. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that the IDF responded to an attack coming from the UN location. Ban and the UN rejected that explanation:
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says the Israeli army shelled the U.N. complex in Gaza City today because, he told reporters, soldiers “were attacked from there and the response was harsh.”
The shelling set a U.N. warehouse full of food and supplies intended for Palestinians on fire.
Olmert’s office confirmed to ABC News that Olmert talked with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and told him, “This was a sad incident for which I am sorry but our troops were attacked from there and the reaction was forceful.”
The United Nations had already dismissed the self-defense charge.
Anyone else thinking baby milk factory here? The UN also initially denied that Hamas operated from its UNRWA school in the earlier shelling, but eventually changed its tune after the IDF provided videotape from previous attacks at the school. Israel certainly could have made a mistake — we made a similar mistake in our bombing of Serbia when we struck the Chinese embassy — but I wouldn’t dismiss outright the notion that Hamas launched mortars or rockets from the site.
In better news for the IDF, a senior Hamas figure reached room temperature today:
Israeli Defense Force officials told ABC News that Hamas Interior Minister Said Siam was killed today during an Israeli airstrike on his brothers home in Gaza.
Hamas television is also reporting that Siam was killed in what it says was an air strike that flattened a home in Gaza City. A top aide, Siam’s brother and his brother’s family were also killed, they reported. Siam is considered to be among Hamas’ top five leaders in Gaza.
Thus far, though, Hamas still has enough capability to launch missiles and rockets into Israel. Twenty-one more flew out of Gaza despite the intense IDF pressure, injuring nine Israeli citizens. Hamas doesn’t need to maintain its command and control in the short run to keep the attacks up on Israel. Their units, like most terrorist groups, can operate independently, at least while they still have munitions to use and people to fire them,
Still, if the Israelis can reduce Hamas leadership to dust, it will eventually squeeze the resources out of the terrorist cells. Hamas in Gaza knows this too, which is why they’re getting a lot more interested in that Egyptian cease-fire than their counterparts in Damascus.
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You have to add in the fact that whole generations of Americans have been brainwashed into thinking that the UN is a natural part of the world, when in fact it is the most unnatural organization we’ve ever seen. I am constantly surprised that the same people who promote teaching evolution so vigoprously (to the point of utter hysteria) seem to know nothing about evolutionary theory, themselves, not to mention general common sense.
As to my Sierra Leone reference with the mercenaries, I wasn’t offering that as a general idea, but just an interesting counter-example. The bill to hire Executive Decisions (I think it was) was only around 10 million a year, so I don’t think funding was a problem. Of course, Sierra Leone wasn’t a real country, in that there wasn’t really anything there, so a few hundred highly skilled mercenaries, and trained locals, were able to quash the rebels for next to nothing. No tank warfare of airforce, etc.
progressoverpeace on January 15, 2009 at 8:52 PM
It did have a very useful purpose for the US as a way for it (a non-imperial power) to get things done on the sly.
Nowadays the UN is rightly bemoaned as an OIC shill but people forget that for at least twenty years the UN benefited the US far more than any other country.
Take the Congo in the ’60s–when the US were looking to offload Patrice Lumumba and embrace the Katangese rebels. The US made a phone call and so the Swedish UN troops quietly looked the other way when Lumumba was captured, assassinated and Mobutu took over.
That event would have been very difficult to arrange without seemingly neutral international troops providing diplomatic cover. The UN was a very handy US tool in multiple instances.
aengus on January 15, 2009 at 9:07 PM
The UN’s integrity is at a level where, if they said that the sun came up, I would have to verify it before I could believe them.
Good to see the other character make the transition to the 77 virgins. What is going to happen to the terrorists recruiting program if they find out that the 77 virgins waiting for them in the promised land are actually 100 harlots from hell?..
DL13 on January 15, 2009 at 9:16 PM
Beautiful. :-)
PersonalLiberty on January 15, 2009 at 9:29 PM
You mean Executive Outcomes. The History Channel had a phenominal documentary on how they stopped the Genocide, rape and pillaging of the country… before Clinton stepped in and replaced a hundred effective mercinaries with over a thousand UN peacekeepers…..
Of course over 500 of the peacekeeper were shortly taken hostage and the genocide begain anew. !Thank you UN!
Jones Zemkophill on January 15, 2009 at 9:31 PM
Point taken. There’s no question that the US used the UN to an advantage at times, a very few times, but I wouldn’t put any of them into the “major” category, not even close. On top of that, the UN was always constrained by the Cold War, which kept the institution totally defanged, since in the end it was the two superpowers and the interplay between them that determined any and all of the happenings around the world.
progressoverpeace on January 15, 2009 at 9:39 PM
Thanks for the correction and details. I think Executive Decisions was a movie or something. Silly me. :)
progressoverpeace on January 15, 2009 at 9:40 PM
Spot on! +100 -
Neocon Peg on January 15, 2009 at 9:41 PM
I wouldn’t disagree. I just don’t that accept that if in any given circumstance the US does not get exactly what it wants then that makes it a victim of the UN or “Europeans” or whoever. That is very babyish in a way. It’s impossible to imagine even the poorest Roman Emperor having that reaction.
I agree. The UN was a realistic expression of the Cold War nuclear stalemate at one time. The UN no longer has any realistic function except as an OIC cartel engaged in delegitimising Israel with endless “Resolutions”. It should be dismantled. The sooner the better.
aengus on January 15, 2009 at 10:07 PM
Now if the IDF can only hit the UN in NYC.
Geronimo on January 15, 2009 at 10:08 PM
No argument from me. We created that mess and can leave any time we want. If they screw us over, we have only ourselves to blame. When the UN does stupid stuff, I don’t blame the UN (since I think it is doing what it naturally does) but I blame US politicians for not pulling us out of there.
Yep. I once listed all the security council resolutions and counted the number that were about Israel. I forget the actual percentage, but it was huge. Even I was surprised. That’s why I tell Israeli friends that Israel MUST leave the UN, after which the UN would probably shrivel up and die of its own, since it would really have nothing left to do. But Israelis are too scared – and they also have some unnatural love for this peerless, competitionless organization. Again, I don’t blame the UN for their anti-Israel stance, since Israel abets it with its own membership. Israel exhibits battered-wife syndrome with the UN and they have no one to blame but themselves.
progressoverpeace on January 15, 2009 at 10:17 PM
Hey, aengus. You do have an excellent point here, and this is another option I’d go for.
apacalyps on January 15, 2009 at 10:24 PM
Uh, I think it was designed for something. I should note I have no interest in debating the reasons for the formation of the United Nations. None whatsoever. That said, my humble view on the matter is that the United Nations was formed after World War II to promote peace, security, and economic cooperation (with probably one world government visions for the future) following the fight against the major Axis powers of Germany, Italy and Japan, and as a result of the collapse of the old League of Nations that started after World World I. By the way, that “one world government” is coming soon to a city near you via antichrist when he rises to power after the rapture. So when I said in my previous comment that America helped form this organization some years ago to keep peace and freedom in the world after WWII, I believe that to be historically correct.
I 100% agree with that.
I agree with this too. When I suggested the U.S. should start a new organizaton with like-minded nations similar to the U.N. only different, I am not suggesting another UN, I am thinking of an alliance between free nations to counter forces like Russia, China and the Middle East, and the lesser nations aligned with them. This would include treaties with countries we want to deal with as you correctly suggest. Believe me, I know what’s going to happen in the future as my Bible clearly lays out the path. All of this talk by me about America getting out of the United Nations just represents my strong feelings of dislike for that anti-american, anti-semitic, organization, that’s all.
apacalyps on January 15, 2009 at 11:16 PM
I’ve done that too. Worked out the percentage of UN resolutions against Israel. I think it’s like 33% of all UN resolutions passed are concerning Israel. I think. Don’t hold me to that. It’s sickening though.
That is right. It would be funny if it weren’t so tragic. The UN would literally have nothing to do so much of their time is spent condemning little tiny Israel. I can’t tell you how upset I get when I think of it. But, this was all predicted to happen just like it’s going down now. Israel is prophesied to become an intolerable problem that world leaders think must be eliminated before there can be peace in the Middle East and in the world.
“Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it” (Zechariah 12:2-3).
Do we see a volatile situation today with regard to the modern nation of Israel? The answer is, YES! Just like God predicted approx. 2500 years ago. There is an ending too, but you gotta read the Bible to find out. Here’s a hint though: We win! That is, believers/Christians win!
I do. I blame demonic forces as well. Satan is the enemy here. But, I understand your point that Israel needs to be much bolder and vocal and confident in the opposition to this shoddy treatment from their enemies. You make an important point which Israel should adopt.
apacalyps on January 15, 2009 at 11:43 PM
Send a pizza to the IDF.
PizzaIdf.org
It will make you feel better…
Babs on January 16, 2009 at 12:19 AM
Heh heh. I had to smile when I read about your listing the resolutions, too. With as hard as they push the UN in our schools, you would think we would have known all about that by 4th grade!
We are certainly in agreement on the bulk of this. I just got a forwarded email from an Israeli friend (one who has never been given to forwarding emails before) with a link to a video about Hamas kids playing with guns and talking about killing Jews. The video appeals to the UN to denounce Hamas for child abuse or something like that. I still have to compose a letter to him, explaining why this is the wrong approach. But, at least they’re starting to figure things out … kind of.
I have to say that I’m not generally given to Biblical prophesy, but it is quite a stunning situation we have, all over. Truly stunning.
progressoverpeace on January 16, 2009 at 12:37 AM
hmmm, flattening homes that lead to the death of terrorists, they’re definitely on to something….but I hope they get wiser and forgo the courtesy calls to the Palis beforehand, I think the IDF will realize its more effective that way.
Even more effective is not caring about your enemy’s welfare at all, then you can call in the B-52s. But I’m getting ahead of myself, baby steps first.
thinkagain on January 16, 2009 at 12:39 AM
Yeah, I’ve got the stats somewhere written down. I think it’s closer to half of all resolutions past at the UN concern Israel. It’s a staggering number. I know for me anyways, it doesn’t make sense unless the Bible is true. God said that He would make “Jerusalem a burdensome stone,” and that “all the people of the earth be gathered together against it (Israel) ” (Zechariah 12:3). I mean, that is exactly what we see happening today as almost every nation is aligned against Israel except the US and Christians the only group of people wi$::W
apacalyps on January 16, 2009 at 1:32 AM
Sometimes certain words and letters get garbled in my post after I click the “Submit Content” button to send my message. I don’t know why exactly, but the above sentence that got scrambled is supposed to read:
… almost every nation is aligned against Israel except the US and Christians the only group of people willing to stand up for the beseiged Jewish state.
apacalyps on January 16, 2009 at 1:38 AM
Wow, I’m surprised DeathtoMediaHacks stopped slurping Gettlefinger’s knob long enough to engage in some good ole Jew Hate. Color me surprised that a commie UAW shill would also support the Paleo’s.
PimFortuynsGhost on January 16, 2009 at 12:10 PM
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