It has long been clear that the United Nations (UN) has become a club for the world’s autocrats, through which they steer world politics. Hence its many manoeuvres against Israel and its allies. The most recent is the approval of a resolution denying Israel the right to defend itself. Among the dictatorial and Western countries with far-left governments, the Slovenian Government also supported the resolution.
On Wednesday, the United Nations General Assembly approved a Palestinian resolution calling for sanctions and an arms embargo against Israel. The motion also included a demand by the Palestinian authorities that Israel withdraw from the West Bank and Gaza within one year. The resolution was adopted with 124 votes in favour, 14 against and 43 abstentions. It is important to note that UN General Assembly resolutions are non-binding and will not directly lead to actions or sanctions against Israel. Most Western countries, including the USA, abstained or voted against the resolution. However, Slovenia was among those who voted in favour.
Israel: support for murderers
Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, condemned the vote, saying: “This is a shameful decision that supports the diplomatic terrorism of the Palestinian Authority. Instead of marking the anniversary of the massacre on the 7th of October by condemning Hamas and calling for the release of all 101 remaining hostages, the UN General Assembly continues to dance to the tune of the Palestinian Authority’s support for the murderers of Hamas.”
He accused those supporting the resolution on what he called “diplomatic terrorism” of inciting violence and supporting those who choose conflict over peace.
He said the resolution distorted the “wrong” ICJ advisory opinion and turned reality on its head, covering up the 7th of October Hamas attack and Israel’s legitimate security concerns.
US Ambassador: Washington opposes unilateral action
US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas Greenfield, urged members to reject an initiative for the United States to join in “pressing Israelis and Palestinians to recommit to the hard work of direct negotiations” and to pressure Hamas to “take the [ceasefire] business that is currently on the table.”
She said Washington opposes any unilateral action that undermines the prospects for a two-state solution, including the growth of Israeli settlements and the resolution under consideration.
Serious Western countries abstained or opposed
The countries that joined Israel in opposing the proposal were Argentina, the Czech Republic, Fiji, Hungary, Malawi, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Tonga, Tuvalu and the USA.
Abstentions included Germany, the UK, Italy, Australia, Canada, Ethiopia, Albania and Bulgaria. It is particularly worth noting that the UK abstained despite its New Labour government, and Australia abstained despite its government’s critical stance towards Israel. Other abstaining countries include Ukraine, Serbia, Slovakia, South Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Nepal, the Netherlands, Korea, Romania, Lithuania, Georgia, Guatemala, Haiti and Kenya. Most of the serious Western European countries are therefore in this group.
What does the resolution ask for?
As Israel Hayom reports, the Palestinian delegation to the UN submitted a draft resolution for a vote in the UN General Assembly earlier this month.
The resolution states that Israel must return the land seized since the beginning of the occupation in 1967 and allow displaced Palestinians to return to their homes, and calls on countries not to recognise Israel’s illegal presence as legitimate and to refrain from trade or investment agreements that could help Israel to maintain “the illegal situation it has created”. The resolution therefore seeks to force Israel to return to its borders as they were before the last joint attack by the Arab states. Such a move would, of course, mean the end of the independent Israeli state.
The text further demands that Israel immediately comply with all its legal obligations under international law, including those laid down by the International Court of Justice, which, after examining the issue at the request of the Assembly, issued an advisory finding in July that the Israeli occupation violated international law.
Slovenia was among the countries that voted in favour of the resolution
Predictably, Slovenia’s far-left government has collaborated with Arab theocratic despots and with Asian and Latin American autocrats. What is more, the government has actively joined the Arab despots who want to dismember Israel piece by piece. Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanja Fajon, the architect of Slovenia’s “feminist” foreign policy, will lead the UN Security Council debate on illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
No one knows exactly how badly Slovenia’s international reputation will be affected after Golob’s far-left mandate. But it is clear that the consequences of the 2022 elections will be far-reaching.
I. K.
