Posted to the Web: Friday, July 28, 2006

THE world  will once again express empty concern about the deteriorating situation in the Middle East with its grave implication on international peace. Israel, with the  full backing of the United States of America, has been a terror in the region, with its famous flagrant status of being above resolutions of the United Nations. In the  past few weeks, Israel has been experimenting its military superiority on lives and properties in Lebanon.

As at the last count, over 240 people had been killed while tens of thousands were rendered homeless. Yet, Israeli government has rejected all peace overtures from  the international community and the US appears unaware of the implications of Israel’s hatred for others’ rights to existence.

Israeli attacks on its neighbours at the slightest excuse must stop. Its contempt for its neighbours and the laws that can enhance their peaceful co-existence can no  longer be tolerated.

While we acknowledge the rights of Israel to exist in the Middle East, that right must be within international laws that promote peace. The world must look into the  genesis of Israel’s unruly behaviour and the role of the US which has resulted in Israel obeying only resolutions that suit its interests.

From 1955 to date, the UN has churned out over 100 different resolutions to curb Israel’s illegal occupation of part of Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan and its brutality  against citizens of those countries. Resolutions 280 and 285, almost 20 years ago, condemned Israel’s attacks on Lebanon and ordered immediate Israeli withdrawal  from Lebanon respectively. Up till today, Israel still maintains illegal occupation in this country.

Several other resolutions have been passed by UN to checkmate Israel’s misdemeanour. Resolution 256 condemns Israel’s raids on Jordan as “Flagrant violation”  while Resolution 672 condemns Israel for violence against Palestinians. Resolution 497 decides that Israel’s annexation of Syria’s Golan Heights is “null and void” and  demands that Israel rescind its decision forthwith. Israel has turned deaf ears to all these resolutions pretending, with the active support of the US, that its neighbours  are the aggressors and  that there can be peace in the Middle East at no cost to Israel.

What next would the UN do? Israel’s deafness has turned the UN to a lame duck. UN’s Resolution 673, the most recent, tamely deplored Israel’s refusal to  cooperate with the global body. No sanctions were imposed on Israel as in the past and its present brazen conduct would not have been possible without US’  connivance, the same US that claims to be deploying billions of dollars in contending for world peace.

Only Israel’s realisation that it cannot guarantee peace for its peoples by fighting its neighbours can solve this problem. The incastrated UN finally has a chance to  prove that it can chastise the US over its conduct in the Middle East. The world cannot afford a parallel UN, the role that the US appears to be playing dedicatedly  and at the expense of world peace.