[Originally posted at NOW Lebanon]
In keeping with its long-standing tradition of benevolence to the people of Palestine, on Monday night Her Majesty’s Government graced PA leader Mahmoud Abbas with yet another hearty shoulder-clap of British goodwill. Summoning the lovable spirit of Basil Fawlty, Whitehall backtracked on its prior disinclination to act pursuant to Security Council Resolution 242 (sponsored, incidentally, by British UN ambassador “Lord” Caradon) and offered to vote for Thursday’s Palestinian statehood bid, on the condition that the Palestinians surrender the right to pursue war crimes charges against Israel.
It added that Abbas would further be expected to immediately resume peace talks with Israel “without preconditions”, i.e., without asking Israel to so much as halt (never mind reverse) its expropriation and settlement of Palestinian land.
Such is what passes for “balance” in today’s debased status quo, in which one side is permitted to continue violating international law unmolested, while the other is denied even hypothetical means of redress. What amazing strides of progress have been made, 95 years on from the Balfour Declaration.
In keeping with its long-standing tradition of benevolence to the people of Palestine, on Monday night Her Majesty’s Government graced PA leader Mahmoud Abbas with yet another hearty shoulder-clap of British goodwill. Summoning the lovable spirit of Basil Fawlty, Whitehall backtracked on its prior disinclination to act pursuant to Security Council Resolution 242 (sponsored, incidentally, by British UN ambassador “Lord” Caradon) and offered to vote for Thursday’s Palestinian statehood bid, on the condition that the Palestinians surrender the right to pursue war crimes charges against Israel.
It added that Abbas would further be expected to immediately resume peace talks with Israel “without preconditions”, i.e., without asking Israel to so much as halt (never mind reverse) its expropriation and settlement of Palestinian land.
Such is what passes for “balance” in today’s debased status quo, in which one side is permitted to continue violating international law unmolested, while the other is denied even hypothetical means of redress. What amazing strides of progress have been made, 95 years on from the Balfour Declaration.
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