Posted on 07/15/2006 3:18:01 PM PDT by Woodstock
Israel's military blockade of Lebanon, as well as the Palestinian territories, was obviously in violation of international law as civilians suffered most from such actions, a senior UN official said here on Friday.
"The law is simple. Civilians must be shielded. Civilians are protected persons. Civilian infrastructure is protected," UN Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland told a press conference.
"If sealing off borders, if sealing off harbors, if bombing airports first and foremost means that innocent third parties cannot receive goods, cannot travel, cannot get to health facilities, cannot get their daily needs met ... Israel's blockade is obviously wrong" he said.
The UN's top humanitarian aid official also urged the international community to respond to an emergency appeal for aid for the Palestinians and said civilians must be spared in the spiraling Middle East conflict.
"Never before have the Palestinians needed our compassion and solidarity more," he said.
"The crisis in Palestinian areas has been building since 2000, but it has never been worse in this decade than it has over the last few days," he said.
Egeland was speaking to reporters following a meeting of aid agencies and donor governments.
He said the UN was facing a substantial shortfall in its 385-million-U.S. dollar appeal for aid in Palestinian areas.
It has received less than one third of the funding it needs to help deal with a humanitarian crisis caused by escalating violence in the conflict between the Palestinians and Israelis.
Egeland condemned Israel's bombing of civilian facilities in Gaza, which he said had paralyzed electricity and water supplies.
The sanitation system in Gaza was falling apart, food and medical supplies were running short and disease rates were climbing, he warned.
He called for international donors to increase funding for the UN's humanitarian agencies.
He also criticized Palestinian militants and their Lebanese counterparts for kidnapping Israeli soldiers and launching rocket attacks into Israel.
"They should understand that there will be a response. It seems they want to provoke a response and they don't seem to care the slightest bit that it is the children, the women, the civilians that bear the brunt," he said.
He urged all parties in the conflict to exercise restraint.
What about the bombing of the Dolphinarium, or Sbarro's Pizza? Were those against international law? Don't remember hearing about it at the time.
Oh, shut up. The U.N. is a bloated, useless organization which has done not only commited crimes against international law but also against morality.
Oh, shut up. The U.N. is a bloated, useless organization which has done not only commited crimes against international law but also against morality.
---"The law is simple. Civilians must be shielded. Civilians are protected persons. Civilian infrastructure is protected," UN Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland told a press conference.---
Tell that to Hizbullah!
I think we should send the UN to France and turn their building into a hospital for victims of Islamic terrorism.
Well, at least nobody else violated international law... and Hezbollah/Hamas are completely innocent...
It's part of their strategy.
And just pray tell how anyone is supposed to tell the diff between the civilians and the terrorists since the terrorists are too cowardly to don a uniform or carry a flag?
What I dont get is why were not hearing about more Hezbollah casualties. Isreal has a lot of the precision weapons we have, and theyre knocking the crap out of Hezbollah targets. I assume we dont hear more about the licks theyre taking because there arnt any reporters near these strongholds, and Hezbollah is not about to admit "Were getting pounded."
Oh geez, not this dipwad again. Next thing ya how he will be complaining the US isn't sending enough money to Lebanon....
Yawn.
Wake me if the UN ever issues a statement in support of Israel.
The truth is that Isreal has done a whole lot more to protect the civilians. The UN is a useless organization. Hey UN, go after Hezbollah for a change will you!
It is high time that the UN be flushed down the toilet.
It is simple. A naval blockade is an act of war. Bombing bridges, which is what NATO did to Serbia, might be considered so also.
So is suicide bombing, kidnapping civilans and hiding behind morons like you, you dope..
Yo, bubba! You don't think this might be Israel's response to their women and children being killed for decades, huh?
Hey Captain Obvious, they are TERRORISTS. Does that tell you anything?
And just pray tell how anyone is supposed to tell the diff between the civilians and the terrorists since the terrorists are too cowardly to don a uniform or carry a flag?"
I don't think there are civilians. Just terrorist who are not activly involved.
the good thing about a crisis is that it forces everyone to publicly choose sides.
Did anyone tell that to Bill Clinton as he bombed Milosevic into submission?
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