Vote Yes!

The United Nations Security Council is set to vote on a resolution demanding that Israel not deport or harm Palestinian leader and icon Yasr Arafat. The resolution is sponsored by Syria, which holds one of the 10 revolving seats on the very undemocratic council. Most member states support the resolution, which also expresses grave concern at the increase in violence, without specifically calling out Palestinian terrorists. U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte has indicated that the U.S. could support the resolution if stronger language was directed against terrorists; whether the others will allow the resolution to be watered down will be seen. However, with the vote set for today, veto by the U.S. is likely.

Now, if I were the U.S. ambassador, I'd be signing on as a co-sponsor. Dan Gillerman, the Israeli Ambassador to the U.N., insulted my country during debate yesterday, cheapening the suffering of Americans. The BBC quotes Gillerman as saying, "[Arafat] is at the helm of those who have been supporting mega-terror attacks, in the style of the bombing of the Twin Towers, to bring the region to catastrophe." Now, Palestinian terrorists have killed perhaps 1,000 Israelis since 2000, while the single day of September 11, 2001, killed over 3,000 individuals, mostly Americans. Not to diminish the suffering of Israelis, but you best not be calling for that kind of slaughter on your own people, Dan! (The fact that Arafat is not leading the terrorists, but aiding them at worst, is beside the point).