I have appreciated comments you have made concerning the self-inflicted impotence of the United Nations, and so I feel sure you won’t mind hearing from one of the many New Zealanders who are distressed by what is happening in the Middle East, but who also feel a certain impotence which is why most don’t bother to speak up.
Media commentators, aid agencies and the UN itself have made it plain that Israel’s actions go way beyond anything that can rightly claim to be self-defence, and include violations of international and humanitarian law.
Israel’s present government has a wider agenda.
It is also widely acknowledged that the only reason why Israel can continue its pursuit of that agenda is because the USA continues to supply it with the means of doing so – even as it speaks of the need for the war to stop.
Even allowing for Mr Biden’s own domestic reasons for wanting an end to the war, it is nevertheless hard to avoid the impression that USA’s much publicised pursuit of cease-fire talks is not much more than an attempt to pre-empt ‘day-after’ charges of complicity in war crimes, because the reality is that the USA could stop the war tomorrow if it was really serious about doing so.
I realise that NZ is in a difficult position because of its dependence on USA for security and trade.
But when the ‘day after’ does come, hopefully history will show that we at least did what we could within our limits.
For too long – decades – western nations have looked the other way while Israel continued to encroach on Palestinian lands and destroy Palestinians’ livelihoods and lives.
In that way we helped to breed Hamas and Hezbollah. The present problem did not begin on Oct 7th 2023.
I understand there is an established protocol that entitles/requires you as Minister to call any Ambassador to account for unsatisfactory conduct by that Ambassador’s country.
If that is correct, has the United States’ continuing support for Israel’s actions which responsible judicial bodies have condemned met the requirement for activating that protocol?
Does not the USA’s ambassador owe it to allies like NZ, and to fair-minded Jewish people living in this country, to explain the USA’s double-speak – i.e. professing its desire for a cease-fire while enabling Israel to continue what it is doing?
The USA’s contempt for the role of the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court is equally despicable, and all the more because of the impotence of the UN itself.
Perhaps the ambassador could even explain how Mr Biden’s self-confessed position as a Zionist is consistent with his talk of a two-State solution, given that Zionism does not allow for a two-State solution.
I’m sure there would be plenty to talk about!
With good wishes,
Peter Cullinane, Bishop Emeritus, Catholic Diocese of Palmerston North
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