Israel's row with the UN.

Israel is in the process of banning UN officials after the general secretary's comments.

He condemned Hamas and also said that their actions didn't happen in a vacuum. He also said that Israel had committed war crimes and was inflicting collective punishment on Palestinians.

I have read his comments and I can't see how what he said was wrong. The Israeli government themselves have said that all people in Gaza are responsible for what Hamas did. They are also clearly acting on that assumption and collective punishment is a war crime according the the UN's own rules.

That Palestinians have been existing under military occupation is likewise irrefutable. Is this a sign that movers and shakers of world politics are moving against the actions of the Netanyahu government? I really hope that it is.

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Bumbles · 51-55, M

I’d prefer if the UN just was an international aid organization, and could perhaps meet on other matters on an ad how basis. In my life I can’t think of a situation where it’s done much good. The whole veto power structure doomed it from the start.

Other than the weirdness of dictators and enemies being in NYC, and sitting across from each other, what’s the point.

PicturesOfABetterTomorrow · 41-45, M

@Bumbles Definitely agree on the veto issue.

Also the 90s was a really really hard reality check for the fluffy rose coloured worldview from the UN.

There was alot of very short lived naive optimism after the cold war that very quickly got hit by a bus.

SumKindaMunster · 51-55, M

@Bumbles Agreed. This is exactly the sort of thing the UN was ostensibly created to address and they either haven't been able or haven't done anything about it for 50 plus years.

Bumbles · 51-55, M

@SumKindaMunster We’ll always have the clip of Khrushchev pounding his shoe, at least.

[image/video deleted]

PicturesOfABetterTomorrow · 41-45, M

@Bumbles And he let Kennedy go home looking like the hero.

SumKindaMunster · 51-55, M

@Bumbles I like the dude on the right..."Pretty good rhythm there Nikita"

Bumbles · 51-55, M

@SumKindaMunster Yeah, I didn't know he got laughs, either!