Blaring headlines in Monday newspapers across the world were of the same tone — UN fury over the strike on a Gaza school, World stands ‘disgraced’ as many die in UN school, Ban describes Israeli strike as ‘a moral outrage and a criminal act’, UN voices outrage over Gaza school strike. This is not the first time Israel has deliberately attacked UNRWA schools and shelters, similarly it’s not the first time for the UN to condemn Israel. Then what? Both parties agree to carry on this game of ‘you strike as you like, I will condemn but that would be only for public consumption’.
It’s really disgraceful for the whole world in general, and for the UN in particular, that Israel is able to dodge its way through tons of condemnation statements, expressions of outrage and futile speeches in the Security Council.
As world powers get busy this week commemorating 100 years since Britain joined World War One, they need to weigh the aftermath of these two world wars, which led to this enduring injustice in human history – The Balfour Declaration of 1917, promising a home country in Palestine for Jews, and UN General Assembly resolution-181, to carve a country out of Palestine without asking the Palestinians if they supported this game. The ongoing conflict in Gaza is not a standalone tragedy, it’s the result of the injustice done in 1947-48 by the UN on instructions of World War Two winners.
Ban Ki Moon can carry on with his condemnations forever, as these are of no use. Unless a serious effort is made to reverse UNGA-181, we will continue to see this bloodbath even after 100 years.
Masood Khan
Jubail, Saudi Arabia
“Heavy artillery shelling into a populated area would be inherently indiscriminate. You just can’t aim that weapon precisely enough in that environment because it’s so destructive.” — Bill Van Esveld, Human Rights Watch lawyer investigating war crimes.
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