When will US REALLY care?

By Gulamhusein A.Abba

The day after the sarin/chlorine gas attack in Syria, US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley stood up from her seat in the UN and said, “…….Yesterday morning, we awoke to pictures….”. She went on to describe in detail what the world had woken up to that morning. To emphasize her point, she held up pictures of children in the throes of death. She rightly condemned the gas attack and demanded not just words but actin by the UN. She emphasized that if the UN failed to take “collective action” this time, “…there are times in the life of states that we are compelled to take our own action”, hinting that the Trump administration would act unilaterally if the UN did not act.By Gulamhusein A.Abba

The day after the sarin/chlorine gas attack in Syria, US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley stood up from her seat in the UN and said, “…….Yesterday morning, we awoke to pictures….”. She went on to describe in detail what the world had woken up to that morning. To emphasize her point, she held up pictures of children in the throes of death. She rightly condemned the gas attack and demanded not just words but actin by the UN. She emphasized that if the UN failed to take “collective action” this time, “…there are times in the life of states that we are compelled to take our own action”, hinting that the Trump administration would act unilaterally if the UN did not act.

All this is very commendable and brave. The only trouble is that she has blamed Russia and the Assad government for the attack. Both, Russia and the Syrian government have denied responsibility for the attack. Russia claims that the atrocity in Idlib was the result of a regime airstrike on a rebel chemical munitions depot and the gas that killed the children was what had escaped from the rebel chemical munitions depot.

One may be excused for hesitating to accept the US accusations against the Assad regime. US and its western allies have been eager to topple any regime in the Middle East that shows any independence. They have been gunning for the Assad regime for years.

What is the truth? It is difficult to say for sure at this early stage, especially one day after the attack. If the Assad regime or Russia is responsible, clearly strong action aginst the guilty party is called for. There can be no question about that.

As I read Nikki Haley’s remarks, another picture flashed through my mind.

On January 15, Israel dropped at least three white phosphorus shells on the main UNRWA compound in the Rimal neighborhood of central Gaza City, wounding three and starting fires that gutted four buildings and destroyed more than US$3.7 million worth of medical supplies.  According to UNRWA officials, they had been speaking with IDF officers throughout the morning as the shells landed progressively closer to the compound, asking them to halt fire.  About 700 civilians were sheltering in the UN compound at the time.

 On January 17 Israel dropped at least three white phosphorous shells on a well-marked UN facility

– a school in Beit Lahiya sheltering roughly 1,600 displaced persons. One discharged shell landed in a classroom, killing two brothers who were sleeping and severely injuring their mother and a cousin.  The attack wounded another 12 people and set a classroom on fire.  As with all of its facilities in Gaza, the UN had provided the IDF with the GPS coordinates of the school prior to military operations.

These two days are not the only ones on which Israel used white phosphorous, nor are the two sites mentioned the only ones on which they were used. Israel used white phosphorous extensively.

The use of white phosphorous in war in populated areas is as illegal as is use of chemical weapons and deaths caused by it are even more ghastly than those caused by sarin/chlorine gas.

Apart from using white phosphorous aginst innocent Palestinians, Israel has killed thousands of them and committed ghastly crimes again and again.

The world has woken on many mornings to these crimes. On any one of those mornings the US ambassador to the UN could have stood up and spoken about them in the UN using the very same words that Haley used.

“This Security Council thinks of itself as a defender of peace, security, and human rights,"  "When the United Nations consistently fails in its duty to act collectively, there are times in the life of states that we are compelled to take our own action." These atrocities were raised in the UN, and the UN did fail to act collectively against them. But the US ambassador, far from condemning them and demanding action, vetoed UN resolutions condemning Israeli actions and calling for action.

Speaking of the attack in Syria Haley said, “We cannot close our eyes to those pictures. We cannot close our minds of the responsibility to act” But when it came to pictures of atrocities committed by Israel, the US ambassador to the UN DID close his/her eyes and he/she DID close his/her minds of the responsibility to act.

Haley criticized Russia for standing in the way of accountability by Asad when the Security Council attempted to hold it accountable. But the US ambassador to the UN had no compunction about standing in the way when the UN Council attempted to hold Israel accountable for its crimes. The US “defied the conscience of the world” to use Haley’s words.

Haley said “…if Russia had been fulfilling its responsibility, there would not even be any chemical weapons left for the Syrian regime to use” And if the US had been fulfilling its responsibility, the atrocities by Israel would have stopped long back.

Haley said, “We know that if nothing is done, these attacks will continue. Assad has no incentive to stop using chemical weapons as long as Russia continues to protect his regime from consequences”.

It can well be said that if nothing is done by the UN, Israeli violations will continue. Israel has no incentive to stop its violations as long as US continues to protect its regime from consequences.

Haley said “We regularly repeat tired talking points in support of a peace process that is regularly undermined by the Assad regime”. That is exactly what the US does in the UN when it comes to discussing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and it is regularly undermined by Israel.

Haley said “There is an obvious truth here that must be spoken. The truth is that Assad, Russia and Iran have no interest in peace” Another truth is equally obvious. Israel has no interest in arriving at a peaceful and fair solution with the Palestinians.

Haley said “The illegitimate Syrian government, led by a man with no conscience, has committed untold atrocities .. Assad has made it clear that he doesn’t want to take part in a meaningful political process. Iran has reinforced Assad’s military, and Russia has shielded Assad from UN sanctions”

Can it not be sad that the Israeli government, led by a man with no conscience, has committed untold atrocities …. Netanyahu has made it clear that he doesn’t want to take part in a meaningful political process. The US has reinforced Israel’s military and has shielded Israel from UN sanctions

Once again, to quote Haley, “If Russia has the influence in Syria that it claims to have, we need to see them use it. We need to see them put an end to these horrific acts. How many more children have to die before Russia cares?... The United States sees yesterday’s attack as a disgrace at the highest level, an assurance that humanity means nothing to the Syrian government.”

Rephrase “If the US has the influence in Israel that it claims to have, we need to see it use it. We need to see it put an end to these horrific acts. How many more Palestinian children have to die before US cares?”

I can go on and on. But you get my point. I will end by just one more trans positioning. Haley said, “….there are times when we are compelled to take collective action. I will now add this: When the United Nations consistently fails in its duty to act collectively, there are times in the life of states that we are compelled to take our own action”.

Peace and justice loving people all over the world ache to hear those words from a US ambassador in the UN with reference to Israel’s brutal, illegal and long running occupation of Palestinian lands.

Please watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Frmdu-Gqh8E

All this is very commendable and brave. The only trouble is that she has blamed Russia and the Assad government for the attack. Both, Russia and the Syrian government have denied responsibility for the attack. Russia claims that the atrocity in Idlib was the result of a regime airstrike on a rebel chemical munitions depot and the gas that killed the children was what had escaped from the rebel chemical munitions depot.

One may be excused for hesitating to accept the US accusations against the Assad regime. US and its western allies have been eager to topple any regime in the Middle East that shows any independence. They have been gunning for the Assad regime for years.

What is the truth? It is difficult to say for sure at this early stage, especially one day after the attack. If the Assad regime or Russia is responsible, clearly strong action aginst the guilty party is called for. There can be no question about that.

As I read Nikki Haley’s remarks, another picture flashed through my mind.

On January 15, Israel dropped at least three white phosphorus shells on the main UNRWA compound in the Rimal neighborhood of central Gaza City, wounding three and starting fires that gutted four buildings and destroyed more than US$3.7 million worth of medical supplies.  According to UNRWA officials, they had been speaking with IDF officers throughout the morning as the shells landed progressively closer to the compound, asking them to halt fire.  About 700 civilians were sheltering in the UN compound at the time.

On January 17 Israel dropped at least three white phosphorous shells on a well-marked UN facility

– a school in Beit Lahiya sheltering roughly 1,600 displaced persons. One discharged shell landed in a classroom, killing two brothers who were sleeping and severely injuring their mother and a cousin.  The attack wounded another 12 people and set a classroom on fire.  As with all of its facilities in Gaza, the UN had provided the IDF with the GPS coordinates of the school prior to military operations.

These two days are not the only ones on which Israel used white phosphorous, nor are the two sites mentioned the only ones on which they were used. Israel used white phosphorous extensively.

The use of white phosphorous in war in populated areas is as illegal as is use of chemical weapons and deaths caused by it are even more ghastly than those caused by sarin/chlorine gas.

Apart from using white phosphorous aginst innocent Palestinians, Israel has killed thousands of them and committed ghastly crimes again and again.

The world has woken on many mornings to these crimes. On any one of those mornings the US ambassador to the UN could have stood up and spoken about them in the UN using the very same words that Haley used.

“This Security Council thinks of itself as a defender of peace, security, and human rights,"  "When the United Nations consistently fails in its duty to act collectively, there are times in the life of states that we are compelled to take our own action." These atrocities were raised in the UN, and the UN did fail to act collectively against them. But the US ambassador, far from condemning them and demanding action, vetoed UN resolutions condemning Israeli actions and calling for action.

Speaking of the attack in Syria Haley said, “We cannot close our eyes to those pictures. We cannot close our minds of the responsibility to act” But when it came to pictures of atrocities committed by Israel, the US ambassador to the UN DID close his/her eyes and he/she DID close his/her minds of the responsibility to act.

Haley criticized Russia for standing in the way of accountability by Asad when the Security Council attempted to hold it accountable. But the US ambassador to the UN had no compunction about standing in the way when the UN Council attempted to hold Israel accountable for its crimes. The US “defied the conscience of the world” to use Haley’s words.

Haley said “…if Russia had been fulfilling its responsibility, there would not even be any chemical weapons left for the Syrian regime to use” And if the US had been fulfilling its responsibility, the atrocities by Israel would have stopped long back.

Haley said, “We know that if nothing is done, these attacks will continue. Assad has no incentive to stop using chemical weapons as long as Russia continues to protect his regime from consequences”.

It can well be said that if nothing is done by the UN, Israeli violations will continue. Israel has no incentive to stop its violations as long as US continues to protect its regime from consequences.

Haley said “We regularly repeat tired talking points in support of a peace process that is regularly undermined by the Assad regime”. That is exactly what the US does in the UN when it comes to discussing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and it is regularly undermined by Israel.

Haley said “There is an obvious truth here that must be spoken. The truth is that Assad, Russia and Iran have no interest in peace” Another truth is equally obvious. Israel has no interest in arriving at a peaceful and fair solution with the Palestinians.

Haley said “The illegitimate Syrian government, led by a man with no conscience, has committed untold atrocities .. Assad has made it clear that he doesn’t want to take part in a meaningful political process. Iran has reinforced Assad’s military, and Russia has shielded Assad from UN sanctions”

Can it not be sad that the Israeli government, led by a man with no conscience, has committed untold atrocities …. Netanyahu has made it clear that he doesn’t want to take part in a meaningful political process. The US has reinforced Israel’s military and has shielded Israel from UN sanctions

Once again, to quote Haley, “If Russia has the influence in Syria that it claims to have, we need to see them use it. We need to see them put an end to these horrific acts. How many more children have to die before Russia cares?... The United States sees yesterday’s attack as a disgrace at the highest level, an assurance that humanity means nothing to the Syrian government.”

Rephrase “If the US has the influence in Israel that it claims to have, we need to see it use it. We need to see it put an end to these horrific acts. How many more Palestinian children have to die before US cares?”

I can go on and on. But you get my point. I will end by just one more trans positioning. Haley said, “….there are times when we are compelled to take collective action. I will now add this: When the United Nations consistently fails in its duty to act collectively, there are times in the life of states that we are compelled to take our own action”.

Peace and justice loving people all over the world ache to hear those words from a US ambassador in the UN with reference to Israel’s brutal, illegal and long running occupation of Palestinian lands.

Please watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Frmdu-Gqh8E

Here are some pictures one hopes Haley or somefuture US ambassador to the UN might show to the Council some day