Pages

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Palestinian Arab government insults US. No one reports it.

A press release from the Palestinian Arab Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, in Arabic:
U.S. veto: an obstacle to peace

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs: February 21, 2011)

The United States of America's use of the veto to prevent the passage of a UN resolution condemning Israel's settlement policy confirms that it is not an honest broker, and it is no longer able to carry out its responsibilities as a sponsor of any future Palestinian - Israeli negotiations.

This first veto of the administration of President Barack Obama puts the credibility of the sponsor of the peace process in jeopardy, as this administration has chosen to stand in the face of international law and against the international consensus, which sponsored the draft resolution, thereby providing protection for the occupying power, Israel, against international condemnation of its illegal actions in settlement building on occupied Palestinian territory. ...

We see the U.S. veto as encouraging Israel to move forward in the processes of settlement and Judaizing Jerusalem, and the construction of a wall of annexation and expansion. It also provides cover for these egregious violations of international resolutions, and encourages [Israel] to continue to evade its commitment to the peace process and entitlements, and this gives them a certificate of innocence to intentionally sabotage and derail the negotiations. [We] hold the U.S. administration to be fully responsibile for the consequences and repercussions.

Accordingly, we call upon the U.S. administration, if it wishes to restore its credibility, to work to correct its decisions, and quickly take the necessary steps to correct this situation which it has committed against the Palestinian people...
This statement is a pure insult to the United States. The PLO is calling into question America's integrity and commitment to peace, it is stating flat-out that the US cannot sponsor peace negotiations any more, and is even calling US actions "an obstacle to peace."

If an Israeli spokesman would say something one tenth as provocative, there would be an immediate dressing down - in private and in public. This diatribe, however, has not even been reported in the media.

Let's send it to some reporters to get a reaction at the next daily White House briefing.

(This little diplomatic temper tantrum also shows that Susan Rice's abject attempt to suck up to the PLO was worse than meaningless - it might have even emboldened the PLO to write this to begin with.)