US Vetoes UN Resolution Condemning Hamas Founder's Killing

Voice of America ^ | Mar 26, 2004 | Jenny Falcon

[TaxRelief]

The United States has used its veto power to block a Security Council resolution presented by Arab states Thursday condemning Israel's killing Monday of Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin in the Gaza Strip.

U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte told the Security Council that the United States is "deeply troubled" by the killing of Ahmed Yassin, saying it has escalated tensions in the region and could set back peace building efforts.

But before the vote, Mr. Negroponte told the council that the United States could not approve the measure, which it views as one-sided for failing to mention Hamas suicide attacks that have killed hundreds of Israelis.

"This resolution condemns the killing of Sheikh Yassin, the leader of Hamas, a terrorist organization dedicated to the destruction of Israel," he said. "Last week, Hamas proudly proclaimed its responsibility for a suicide bombing in the Israeli port of Ashdod that killed ten Israelis and injured ten more. This resolution does not condemn that attack, nor does it condemn those responsible."

The United States is the only nation on the Security Council that has not condemned the extra-judicial killing of Sheikh Yassin. But several European council members, including Britain, Germany and Romania, abstained from the vote because they, too, described the text as unbalanced. France, Russia and Spain joined other council members that voted for the resolution.

The diplomats could not agree on last minute modifications to the text, which included a condemnation of terrorist "atrocities" against Israelis. But Abdallah Baali, the U.N. ambassador from Algeria, which submitted the resolution on behalf of Arab states, said the text was balanced because it condemned "all terrorist attacks against any civilians."

Mr. Baali criticized the council's failure to reach a consensus. "By not condemning the extra-judicial killing of Sheikh Yassin, the Security Council is not sending the right message to the world that has unanimously condemned this crime," he said. "It is not sending the right message to those who sincerely believe that the Security Council is the custodian of international law, but it is certainly sending the wrong message to Israel."

After the vote, Israel's U.N. Ambassador and the Palestinian U.N. representative traded insults in the council chamber.

The Palestinian representative Nasser al-Kidwa lashed out at the United States for repeatedly blocking resolutions against Israel. He called on the United States to take a more neutral role in the Middle East crisis and blamed the Security Council for failing to take action against the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.

Israeli Ambassador Dan Gillerman said, if it had passed, the resolution would have "made a mockery" of the Security Council. He defended Israel's action against terrorists, described the Hamas leader as a godfather of terrorism and said there is no difference between Hamas and al-Qaida.

The Security Council session came one day after the U.N. Human Rights Commission adopted a resolution condemning the assassination of Sheikh Yassin.

[TaxRelief]

After the vote, Israel's U.N. Ambassador and the Palestinian U.N. representative traded insults in the council chamber.

Wish I could have been a fly on the wall...

[GeronL]

I had a robo-fly on the wall. Here is a transcript.

Palie-"What are you doing??"

US- "Vetoing the thing"

Palie-"But Why?? Why must Israel exist?"

US-"Why don't you go blow yourself up near the French guy?"

[MEG33]

I imagine they are practiced at it by now!

[Samurai_Jack]

This is a VERY scary development.
It's not rocket science to commend the isrealies for removing this cancer from their region. This guy has alot of blood on his hands.
We have deconstructionists and moral equivationists who refuse to condemn terrorism.
We have the French betrayal of US Interests in favor of china.
We have pakistan on the verge of toppling into an islamic mullacracy
The international atmosphere is exactly backwards... completely counterintuitive.

We have a noxious international atmosphere and we are not recognizing it. We are doing nothing about it. We are trying to appease it. It's frightening and heralds the required atmosphere for tribulation style tyranny.

The storm clouds are gathering darkly.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

The U.N. takes the side of the terrorists. Now there's a big surprise. The next thing we'll hear is that the oil-for-food program was the biggest scam ever, with the U.N. directly aiding Saddam&Sons' rape/murder/terrorism enterprise and accepting billion$ in bribe$. Oops, that already happened.

[TaxRelief]

This is a VERY scary development.

Not scary enough to qualify for the sidebar apparently.

[sandbar]

Why is there a Palestenian UN rep? Are they are internationally recognized nation?

Forgive my ignorance.

[TaxRelief]

He is a non-Voting (attending) representative. In the same way that Washington, DC has non-voting representatives in the house.

[Huber]

He called on the United States to take a more neutral role in the Middle East crisis and blamed the Security Council for failing to take action against the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. - Burke

Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. And moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue. - Goldwater

[TaxRelief]

They are not an internationally recognized nation, but they are considered a nation-in-the-making, if you will.

[TaxRelief]

But what does Huber say?

[MEG33]

This is nothing new in the UN.

[TaxRelief]

The UN is not a valid body. Instead of using veto power (which is passive-agressive), we need to just get it over-and-done with and pull out of the UN completely.

[lonevoice]

The United States is the only nation on the Security Council that has not condemned the extra-judicial killing of Sheikh Yassin.

Why are we still there? *sigh*

[philetus]

Their hoping they'll just explode into being, one day.

[philetus]

Why is this building full of enemies of the U.S. in New York?

[rightwingcrazy]

France, Russia and Spain joined other council members that voted for the resolution.

The "illegal occupiers" of Corsica, Chechnya and Basque Country discover their moral voice.

[goldstategop]

Israeli envoy Dan Gillerman would have helped matters along if he had strangled the Palestinian nazi SOB.