ANTONIO Guterres, the secretary-general of the United Nations, finally did what I have been too cowardly to do. He condemned the “clear violations of humanitarian law” in Gaza. He dared to speak the truth, that “the Hamas attack did not happen in a vacuum” while he, like some many of us, condemned the October 7 massacre.
By 1917 all was not going well for the Western allies. By giving support to Zionist goals in Palestine, the British hoped they could shore up support for the allies among the significant Jewish populations in the US and Russia. Those goals centred on a “Jewish State in Palestine”. Britain also believed the Balfour Declaration would secure control over Palestine in the future post-war era.
England too had its pogroms. From 1189-90, there were anti-Jewish pogroms in London, York and numerous other cities and towns. York’s entire Jewish community was eradicated in the infamous burning at Clifford’s Tower. From 2015-2022, the UN General Assembly adopted 140 resolutions on Israel. Why has the UN, the West, not acted on the aggression, land grabs, illegal occupation and flouting of laws and obligations by Israel? Why has Israel not been held to account over the years?