Many congratulations to Palestine on being recognised as a non-member state at the United Nations. There is a distinct irony that, apart from the unreconstructed climate change deniers in the United States, Canada and the Czech Republic, the supporters of Palestinian genocide could only muster votes from the tiniest island states threatened by climate change. Where is the much vaunted American Empire now?
Both the United States and Israel are incapable of introspection; instead they have reacted by saying the rest of the world is mad.
There was also a chilling admission of the United States support for extreme zionist land claims, from Hillary Clinton, who called for negotiation “Between Jerusalem and Ramallah”. Not Tel Aviv; Jerusalem.
I argued a year ago that Palestine could join the International Criminal Court without waiting for this vote. But this vote certainly removes all doubt on that score.
I was absolutely disgusted by William Hague’s offer of support form Palestine if Palestine agreed not to join, or take cases to, the International Criminal Court. It is yet another example of that theme to which my writing constantly returns, the abandonment by neo-con UK governments of the principle of international law in favour of a might is right approach. It was always UK policy to encourage dispute resolution by international courts. Now we are discouraging it.
There is a very important practical point here. As I also wrote a year ago:
There is an extremely crucial point here: if Palestine accedes to the Statute of Rome, under Article 12 of the Statute of Rome, the International Criminal Court would have jurisdiction over Israelis committing war crimes on Palestinian soil. Other states parties – including the UK – would be obliged by law to hand over indicted Israeli war criminals to the court at the Hague. This would be a massive blow to the Israeli propaganda and lobbying machine.
This explains why Hague was so keen to avert Palestinian membership of the ICC. Not only can Palestine indict Israeli war criminals (and they should start immediately with those behind Operation Cast Lead and the attack on the Mavi Marmara) but Britain will be obliged – as will all other European Union countries – to hand them over to the court.
Given that this disgraceful government had specifically enacted legislation to block other avenues for the indictment of Israeli war criminals in the United Kingdom, this is infuriating for our zionist sponsored politicians.
It also raises an interesting point. We have seen the entire political establishment enthusiastically promoting the automaticity of European arrest warrants in the case of Julian Assange. How will those same politicians react to the automaticity of arrest warrants for Israeli war criminals? I suspect that they will suddenly discover there is a need for political intervention in such cases.
I did reflect after seeing the nations who voted No, how many people it actually made up in numbers.Not many Benny ! I was surprised by the Balkan vote though.
If you add up the countries populations who said YES then overwhelming is an understatement.
Over 75% of the UK population supported a Palestinian State for the UN but our bought and paid for Lobbyists from that minority party that run our country decided otherwise. So glad that Abbas ignored that bald embarrassment we have for a Foreign Minister,and stuck to his principles.
The MSM has played it down as well, choosing the Leveson diversion to relegate it to the 2nd page.
It is so gratifying to watch Zionist influence wane ! It’s definitely a moment to celebrate and savour.
The carrots for the Palestinians didn’t look like much , lets see what the sticks turn out to be. The US and Israel have promised retaliation.
ROLLCALL OF SHAME
Who voted ‘No’? Who voted ‘Abstain’?
U.S. FASCIST EMPIRE QUISLINGS – ‘NO’ – 9
Canada, Czech Republic, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Panama.
Plus the Jewish Nazis of Israel and the fascists U.S. Empire itself. (*)
U.S. FASCIST EMPIRE LAPDOGS – ‘ABSTAIN’ – 41
Albania, Australia, Barbados, Bulgaria, Estonia, Germany, Guatemala, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Togo, U.K. – Provisional list.
Plus 25 US fascist Empire lapdogs more.
Partial source – they’re hard to find – and not by accident ?? – the US Empire / Google News fixed. No change there, then! – Bernama – Malaysian National News Agency –
– http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v6/newsindex.php?id=712802
“How Europe Voted” – The Daily Heil – ER, US version – the Washington Post ; ) …
– Stuff how Europe’s US stooges voted. What about the other thirty or so US stooges? Who are they? Australia, Singapore, Guatemala for three. –
– http://tinyurl.com/bvshpyc
THE RIGHTEOUS – ‘YES’ – 138
The righteous, and the hypocritical who murder Arabs in Syria, yet vote ‘Yes’ on Palestinian statehood – France for one.
U.S. EMPIRE MUSHROOMS
Naturally, it’s only US Empire mushrooms who are kept in the dark with endless Fascist News lies, disinformation and omissions of real news shoveled on top of them.
Why does the U.N. not have a link to the details of the vote? Too lazy to post a link? Or it wouldn’t suit the U.S. Empire fascists perchance. ??? –
– http://www.un.org/news/
(*) JEWISH NAZIS – THE STATE OF ISRAEL – GILAD ATZMON
Gilad Atzmon – It’s Jewish Israeli Nazi-like behaviour. Not Zionist Nazi. “‘Zionist’ is Israeli / Jewish spin.” (Oh, really? Now he tells us. Doh! ; ) ).
Gaza genocide – by Jewish Nazis of Israel- with US Empire Nazi approval, support, permission and bombs. – No change there, then! –
– http://www.vtjp.org/background/imagesgaza.php
Your US tax dollars at work – Gaza Genocide –
Victims of the Gaza Genocide – those slaughtered innocents look just like the slaughtered innocents of Syria, Iraq and the slaughtered innocents of Afghanistan. What a surprise. Not. –
– http://www.radioislam.org/gaza/massacre-juif-en-photos/index.htm
From Gilad Atzmon, interviewed by Afshin Rattansi –
– ‘Zionism, Jewishness and All That Jazz’ – 3rd June, 2012 – Double Standards – Press TV –
– http://www.presstv.ir/Program/244408.html
Or, to see previous shows. select Press TV -> Programs -> Double Standards –
– http://www.presstv.ir/
UP THE USUK NEO-CON NAZI NONCE EMPIRE !
Just say “Up yours” to USUK Empire Neo-Con Nazi mass psychosis! –
USUK Empire Neo-Con Nazism made mainstream by ‘Biggus Dickus,’ (of Wome on the Potomac) — Big Oil tool and US Torture promoter – brought to Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Aden, Syria, Egypt, Uzbekistan, Poland, Lithuania and many, many more —
‘Welease Woger’ and ‘He Wanks as high as any in Wome’. A hidden Richard Cheney reference? –
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX0XDHF3M60
Spot on Craig.
I have made a quick trawl for the abstentions. Nothing doing.
Even the UN General Assembly Resolutions website goes to this on refresh. The last entry was for 28 November. Pathetic.
The UN website is undergoing urgent maintenance and is currently unavailable
Please check back in a short while.
http://www.un.org/maintenance/
Has it crashed because so many people want to know the details?
Details tomorrow? Next week? Next year?
http://www.un.org/Depts/dhl/resguide/r67.shtml
Mary,
The way the UN works, normally it would be published on paper about 24 hours after the vote and 48 or so would not be unusual. They need to bring out an agreed account, in multiple equally valid languages, simultaneously. It takes a bit of time.
Well written, interesting connection to European warrants.
.
@donnydarko – I’m not sure influence is waning, just out-manoevered this one time.
Here you go Mary.
http://www.graven-images.org.uk/temp/result.jpg
I think we know full well how those politicians will react to any arrest warrants.
Here’s a bit of analysis of the European vote, with graphics of the “international community” and comparisons with the vote last year.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2012/11/29/map-how-europe-voted-on-palestine-at-the-u-n-in-2011-and-now/
Seems the former Soviet satellites are much more inclined to abstain. Very curious in a moral sense given their experience, but I suppose they’ve been bribed.
ROLLCALL OF SHAME – ABSTAINERS
Who voted ‘Abstain’?
U.S. FASCIST EMPIRE LAPDOGS – ‘ABSTAIN’ – 41
Albania, Andorra, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia/Herzogovina, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Colombia, Croatia, Congo, Estonia, Fiji, Germany, Guatemala, Haiti, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malawi, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Poland, Romania, Rwanda, Samoa, San Marino, S. Korea, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Togo, Tonga, U.K., Vanuatu
Complete list – a photograph, by God. Nice going Fred!
– http://www.graven-images.org.uk/temp/result.jpg
Found at Craig Murray’s website – post 7 – from Fred, 30th November, 2012 @ 10.14am –
– http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2012/11/palestine-and-the-assange-test/#comment-383337
or – http://tinyurl.com/czagp84
“Seems the former Soviet satellites are much more inclined to abstain. Very curious in a moral sense given their experience, but I suppose they’ve been bribed.”
Blackmailed more like, same as Britain’s embarrassing abstention.
Good to hear you are much better than Julian Assange, somehow he has a lung condition as well…. does he smoke? It is to be seen whether the smidgeon left of British Governments compassion will let him get medical treatment before he’s going back into his artificial but necessary, self incarceration, or whether they would send him to the US, ill on a stretcher…
will we now see our ME envoy do his job? acting upon popular UN demand? hang on, there’s a horse in my kitchen brewing coffee… Will roadblocks be dismantled while he is watching/smiling?
Nope he would be worried that some duck brained settler would shoot him, sorry ducks.
Can we expect that Syria’s conflict will escalate to the extend that Hezbollah will get involved somehow, my guess? and that Lebanon will be dragged into it by its connections and make up of the population?, who knows what Iran’s response will be to such mayhem at its northern border.
With the latest judgements of Croatian murderers being set free by the Hague, bless, they want to join Europe badly, I’m beginning to have my doubts about the ICC Ms. Justice, she seems to be taken behind the shed by a bunch of bully boys. Why do we expect justice for Palestinians from a court that sets murderers free?
But I’m so happy for Palestine today and I hope harry Fear will get his phone back before somebody has forwarded his tel. number to the Israeli’s. He was/is a serious pillar in the propaganda war, a brave young man indeed and not a flap jacket in sight.
Of the former members of the Yugoslav Republic, only Serbia voted YES – all the rest abstained.
I think too that Serbia was the only one of these to fight against the Nazis.
Funny old world.
@ Fred
The link to the voting results was triffic.
> Blackmailed more like, same as Britain’s embarrassing abstention.
Please speculate on what the UK was blackmailed with / by?
It might save some of us being as rude as possible about the US Empire as a general rule.
We might even substitute facts for a change! ; )
Spineless Australia ended up abstaining, but only just. Our US-sycophant PM Julia Gillard pushed for a No vote. Big blue in the cabinet room on the eve of the vote, luckily she was rolled.
Viva Palestina!
“Please speculate on what the UK was blackmailed with / by?”
Don’t know, could be Cameron has a few tactical nuclear skeletons in his closet.
Britain has been making use of Israel’s get out of jail free card ever since they invaded Egypt for us in 1956.
Thanks.
Ah, well I’ll just have to stick to vulgar abuse. ; )
Abstainers – “The hopeless, the US Empire’s bought-and-paid-for stooges, and Germany in a race to the bottom with the U.K. for the title of ‘Most spineless European US fascist Empire lapdog formerly a major power’.”
I think it will be good fun if Obama nominates Susan Rice for Sec for State. Whatever you think of Hillary Clinton, Rice is really a very very poor performer at the lying game.
She’s one of those people whose facial expressions and demeanour reveal she doesn’t believe a word she’s sayiing. She always overacts the part too, like an overly stern headmistress. Understandable of course, when your job is to talk shite.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8Tdce4-lOo
Something to look forward to perhaps.
Herbie,
The sad thing is I worked with Susan Rice a bit on South Africa many years ago. She was a good person. Another one corrupted by power.
Craig, you wrote:
Can cases be brought retroactively? If not, would the blockade of Gaza be a good place to start?
Whatever, the Palestinians’ new status looks like it will be a test of the legitimacy of the UN.
Thanks Craig and Fred for your advices.
On the subject of longevity (or the lack of it!) I had a lovely walk along the river this morning in bright sunlight and with frost glinting. Ahead of me was a tall slim man whose gait was strange and who, every now and again, lurched as his body convulsed. I was fearing for his safety as the towpath is just rough ground and was also slippery because of the ice. I did not fancy a dip into the river if he should fall.
I eventually caught up with him and we got talking. He has Huntingdon’s Disease (I think it used to be called Huntington’s Chorea). Such a nice and brave man and philosophical too about his condition. His male Labrador was also friendly and nice and slim. Meeting this man and speaking with him cheered me enormously and made me thankful for my own good health, so far.
Info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huntington's_disease
“Ah, well I’ll just have to stick to vulgar abuse. ; )”
Seek and ye shall find. There are rumours concerning two Davids, a Cameron and a Kelly and ten battlefield tactical nuclear bombs built by Israeli scientists in South Africa. Word on the street is that they were the WMD we invaded Iraq looking for.
I don’t know how much truth there is in the rumour, just a possibility.
Hagues warning not to go to the ICC was very sinister, like a gangsters warning not to involve the police.
Croatia’s doing what it was told to do I see. It is applying to enter the EU. The American wife of a friend works for the World Bank and has just been there for a long stint doing the prep work!
Shame on the 41 abstainers and the shameful ‘9’ Noes.
Any views on Cameron, Clegg and Leveson Craig?
This is Steve Bell’s cartoon. Murdoch is riding Cameron who is in a condom and I think that’s Miliband Jnr swimming in the other direction with a little yellow bird called Clegg on his back.
Cartoon, 29 Nov 2012:
Rupert Murdoch and David Cameron aligned, as are Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg after the publication of the Leveson report
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cartoon/2012/nov/29/leveson-report-rupert-murdoch-steve-bell
Craig Murray doesn’t fail, seeing the world in a black and white vision again and even frothing at the mouth about “climate change deniers” in relation to vote on Palestinian observer state status. It is funny that he talks about the handful of states opposing the Palestinian move, naming them out loud, and then suddenly switching to attack Hague of Great Britain over…opposing the Palestinian move. Where the Great Britain abstained from voting. Indeed, the only reason he can gloat is because he doesn’t count in absent states among those, who disagree with the unilateral declaration, which will surely raise many expectations in Palestine, but in reality will not change anything on the ground, where Israel continues to refuse to budge. Congratulations on pointlessly ratcheting up the tensions.
Craig Murray talks about Rome statute and pursuance of war criminals – I trust that if parties to the ICC treaty ask for extradition of Palestinian war criminals, eg. Hamas officials, the Palestinian authority will be happy to follow its obligations in line with international law? That would be absolutely delightful.
As Clark says –
Whatever, the Palestinians’ new status looks like it will be a test of the legitimacy of the UN.
The UN is overdependent on US funding, and the US rightly sees it as an obstacle to American global hegemony. This is not a good position from which to be legitimate.
The US has withheld funding from the UN before, and over a similar issue:
Under the Reagan administration, the U.S. withdrew from UNESCO, withheld its dues to encourage the UN to repeal Resolution 3379, which it did in 1991. The U.S. was—and continues to be—the member state levied most heavily by the UN[], so U.S. policymakers correctly expected this strategy to be an effective way to oppose Soviet and Arab influence over the UN[]. When the UN repealed Resolution 3379 the U.S. resumed dues payments, but not before the U.S. had accumulated a significant and controversial arrears.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_and_the_United_Nations
Wikiphobes – I don’t think you’ll find much wrong with this entry. But there are a couple of ‘citations needed’, which I’ve abbreviated to [].
{United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3379, adopted on November 10, 1975 by a vote of 72 to 35 (with 32 abstentions), “determine[d] that Zionism is a form of racism and racial discrimination“; resolution 3379 was revoked in 1991 by UN General Assembly Resolution 4686. ….also Wikipedia}
“Craig Murray talks about Rome statute and pursuance of war criminals – I trust that if parties to the ICC treaty ask for extradition of Palestinian war criminals, eg. Hamas officials, the Palestinian authority will be happy to follow its obligations in line with international law? That would be absolutely delightful.”
Palestine does not have any war criminals, they are occupied territories, they have the legal right to defend their lands. It wasn’t the French resistance movement ended up in the dock at Nuremberg now was it?
Thanks for that insight, Craig. It does raise the question as to how people live with themselves – how do they rationalize away such a necessarily schizoid persona.
Rice has talked about how she was influenced by the genocide in Rwanda and the lack of action. She resolved not to let it happen again and became a warrior for “liberal intervention”, but this doesn’t sit easily with her insistance upon continuing the plight and suffering of the Palestinians and her aiding and abetting their torturers.
I really don’t know how they do it. Realpolitik on its own isn’t quite enough. Perhaps they have some sense that they’re acting in the service of a greater good beyond. I don’t know.
In the meantime, all we can do is keep challenging them.
I don’t think anyone rational would object to Hamas’ alleged war criminals being given exactly the same treatment as Israeli ones, Michal. A war criminal is a war criminal, no matter how much support he gets from Washington or Tehran. And it is the Palestinians who are in favour of an arrangement which will ensure that justice of some sort can be done. Not your chums.
I’m still highly suspicious of the current proceedings, though. Israel badly needed Abbas to boost his credibility somehow. Hamas was in some danger of attracting support from Fatah, due to the luckless Abbas’ unenviable position between the Israeli rock and the activist hard place, leading to the recognition of his ineffectuality. Now they may have their ventriloquist’s dummy back in order. Gottle of halal geverage, anyone?
“Hagues warning not to go to the ICC was very sinister, like a gangsters warning not to involve the police.”
Precisely. Keep schtum or you’ll get more of the same. Israel is issuing similar threats.
They are gangsters of course, and bullies too and they don’t like it up’em!