I think that if we ever needed a demonstration of what a "toothless tiger" the UN and its Security Council are, we need look no further than the genocide being carried out in African states, and the Mugabe situation (but they're not near any oil, are they?)

Nicky

Michael Ben-Yair wrote on, 3 March 2002:

"We enthusiastically chose to become a
colonial society, ignoring international treaties,
expropriating lands, transferring settlers from Israel
to the occupied territories, engaging in theft and
finding justification for all these activities.
Passionately desiring to keep the occupied
territories, we developed two judicial systems:
one - progressive, liberal - in Israel;
and the other -
cruel, injurious - in the occupied territories.

In effect, we established an apartheid regime in
the occupied territories immediately following
their capture.

That oppressive regime exists to this day."

And:

Shlomo Ben-Ami, wrote in 2000:

"Accusations made by a well-established society
about how a people it is oppressing is breaking rules
to attain its rights do not have much credence."

And:

Moshe Dayan, Sept. 1967:

"Let us approach them (the Palestinian refugees in
the occupied territories) and say that we have
no solution, that you shall continue to live
like dogs, and whoever wants to can leave -
and we will see where this process leads.
In five years we may have 200,000 less people -
and that is a matter of enormous importance."

And:

Ariel (Arik) Sharon, 1973:

"We'll make a pastrami sandwich of them, ...
we'll insert a strip of Jewish settlements in
between the Palestinians, and then another strip
of Jewish settlements right across the West Bank,
so that in 25 years' time, neither the United
Nations nor the United States, nobody, will be
able to tear it apart."

And:

Norman G. Finkelstein, 11 Sept. 2003:

"...it's utterly hypocritical for Israelis to
wonder aloud why Palestinians don't pursue a
non-violent strategy. One obvious reason is that,
whenever they have, Israel brutally represses it."

And:

Yitzhak Rabin, July 1948:

"We walked outside, Ben-Gurion accompanying us.
Allon repeated his question, 'What is to be done
with the Palestinian population?'
Ben-Gurion waved his hand in a gesture which said
'Drive them out!'"

Foxy, where are the "Occupied Territories" today? They aren't occupied are they? So let's move on somewhat from that shall we, finally?

Now what to do, Hamas doesn't want to stop firing rockets and Israel has no intention of allowing them to continue doing so...

The two cannot coexist peacefully, so what do you expect is going to happen? HAMAS, those fearless protector's of the Palestinian people who were going to do wonders, have done NOTHING to stop the IDF to date... Meantime, the IDF has effective and actual control of the vast majority of the Gaza strip... Essentially without any serious drama...

The UN cannot stop the IDF (blatantly fatuous claims & all), the media ain't buying into Pallywood this time round and even the Vatican is being ignored... There is NOTHING HAMAS can do to change ANYTHING now, except surrender. They are not able to find any unarmed civilians or yeshiva students, so they are incapable of inflicting serious casualties.

This is a learning experience to those who seem to think that Israel HAS to bow to International opinion... It does NOT. As to war crimes, bring it on, I strongly doubt even one allegation will be proved.

This is not collective punishment, it is war. Citizen's have to think about what their choice of government intends, they are responsible for it.

As to the disproportionate casualty count, that is what happens when people conduct guerrilla warfare in heavily populated areas against mechanised infantry with heavy artillery support. Hamas knew that and so did the people who voted for them.

PS For those who would quibble, the Israeli Parliament is democratically elected, it is responsible to and bows only to the will of the Israeli people. The Israeli people have shown they are unwilling to accept the continued bombardment from Gaza, deal with it.

The thread started with the idea America would not allowe a UN vote to stop the war.
It was wrong, both sides are not prepared to stop, yet.
The problem needs true understanding, both sides have blood on their hands.
But one is prepared to see its own people killed, to put them in harms way, and use those deaths as a weapon.
Lies yes lies are currency in this troubled part of the world.

hannah-bettor;man is not an island,you are not married[or that if you were it was a marrage that is like hell],i say this/based on your onesided attitude,..your'right'thus everyone else is'wrong'..any succesfull endeavour in human-reality includes giving way to your..'partners-opinion'[or it is not a'real'marrage]

your'allways'right attitude is the wrong-minded attitude that ensures you will allways be single...you speak of one israelie people having the same-mind as you[this is clear insanity..[there are[if your closed mind could admit it]opinions opposing to your own,..your ignorant statements look like a pathetic excuse to keep murdering others..that dare TO THINK DIFFERENTLY THAN YOU

i pity your children[your a ty-rant]..no doudt forcing them to live the life you chose,your mindset is the mind of a dictator,who believes their supirior mind is the only mind[but your mind lacks the ability to reason/love]

peace is a partner-ship,it is minds like yours that cause the unreason that fills the hells,..that seeks to realise your hell right here on earth,but you are a minority

your mindset only rules via lies based on delusional fears..[no one is'all'right..[nor'all'wrong]..realise that everything we do is half right AND half wrong,..but you in your delusional fear/state reveal your not allright,..but also not allwrong..[even a dead clock is right twice a day]

it is futile to point out where i feel your in error[because in your delusion your deaf and blind thus beyond reasoning..[but perhaps israel will be right in the end...if they can see that murder is all wrong,..thus allowing peace may be allright

it is hoped you find contentment,..try to see good[god]in others,..know loving neighbour is the means by which you love god..,but clearly you will find fault even in god in your present sick/minded oneness

when peace comes..[and it will despite idiots such as you,..your words will remind you of the evil/your fears brought you,..it is never too late for god,..he is patiant and loving...if you make any claim to be his people..know,..vile' is far from god..,

but he'loves';the repentant-sinner..[go and sin no more..may gods/peace lay gently on your shoulder..,may gods/peace fill your heart[go be the tool of love..[not hate]..,its not too late

Nicky “we need look no further than the genocide being carried out in African states, and the Mugabe situation”

I do recall the commencement of the Mugabe regime, partly because I was in Southern Rhodesia / Zimbabwe a week after, doing work for a company with a subsidiary in Salisbury / Harare.

Having inherited the finances of the UDI government of Ian Smith, Mugabe had the perfect opportunity to build an even brighter future for all Rhodesians / Zimbabweans.

Instead Mugabe turned it into a charnel house of fiscal incompetence and human rights abuses

However, as you suggest we look at African states, genocide, I would suggest we also consider the role the UN has played in the Mugabe rise to power.

Most particularly I refer you to
General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960
And UN Security Council resolutions:
232 (1966) of 16 December 1966,
253 (1968) of 29 May 1968,
386 (1976) of 17 March 1976,

From those resolutions, it is pretty easy to conclude the existence of the Mugabe regime was, in part, a function of UN resolutions as much as any other influence.

One seriously wonders, had Ian Smith’s regime been allowed to find its own way, without the iron fist of the UN choking it at every turn, would the plight of Zimbabweans been better or worse than they are today?

Personally, I cannot think of how they could possibly be any worse.

Just like its position on AGW, the role and influence of the UN is no guarantee of a responsible or meaningful outcome, let alone the right outcome.