New York, NU Online
Due to opposition from Indonesia, the United Nations Security Council in a session at the UN Headquarters here on Friday desisted from issuing a press statement strongly condemning Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad`s recent statement on "Israel`s destruction."
French Permanent Representative to the UN Jean-Marc de La Sabliere following the closing of the session, expressed his disappointment over the Security Council`s failure to issue the condemnation statement.<>
France was the initiator of the draft statement, which was fully supported by the United States of America (USA) and Britain.
Media reported early this week that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday (June 3) launched a new verbal attack on Israel, saying a "countdown" has begun that will end with Lebanese and Palestinian militants destroying the Zionist regime.
In a speech to mark the 18th anniversary of the death of revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the president said last summer`s war between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah started the process.
"In Lebanon, the corrupt, arrogant powers and the Zionist regime did all they could in an unfair 33-day war. But after 60 years its (Israel`s) greatness fell apart," Iranian media quoted Ahmadinejad as saying.
"The countdown to this regime`s destruction started through the hands of Hezbollah`s children," Ahmadinejad said in a speech to visiting foreign guests in Tehran.
"We will witness the destruction of this regime in the near future thanks to the endeavors of all Palestinian and Lebanese fighters," Ahmadinejad added.
In response to the Iranian President`s statement, the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations (UN) in New York on June 6 sent a letter to the UN Security Council (UNSC) asking the UNSC to react to Ahmadinejad`s statement.
Both La Sabliere and US Permanent Representative to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad considered Ahmadinejad`s statement a serious issue.
Khalilzad recently told the press that the Iranian President`s statement was a principle and serious problem as well as unacceptable as it was a threat to international peace and security.
Of the 15 members of the UNSC, Indonesia is a non-permanent member, while France and the US are permanent members. Indonesia was the only country that opposed the UNSC draft press statement.
Indonesia`s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Hasan Kleib told ANTARA that there were three reasons why Indonesia opposed the UNSC draft press statement.
First, Kleib considered the UNSC was quite unfair in choosing an issue to be given a reaction, especially in this case the reaction was at the request of Israel`s permanent representative.
"Meanwhile, the UNSC was not giving reaction at all to issues which were obviously threatening international peace and security although we have made repeated requests," the Indonesian envoy said.
He said that among the issues being ignored by the UNSC were the illegal arrest of a number of Palestinian legislators and ministers by Israel, Israel`s plan to kill Hamas` political bureau chief Khalid Mishal, and daily destruction done by Israel in the occupied territories.
"On those issues, the Security Council did not issue even a single press statement," he stated.
Second, Hasan Kleib considered Ahmadinejad`s statement was merely rhetoric to mark the 18th anniversary of the death of revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
"We are used to see a cycle of rhetoric between Israel and Iran so far," he said.
He cited as an example that in April 2007, Israeli Haaretz daily quoted an Israeli high-ranking official calling for the assassination of President Ahmadinejad because "it could push more stability". And the UNSC did not react to the issue, he recalled.
Third, Indonesia considered that the UNSC`s draft press statement did not reflect the real facts.
"It`s not in accordance with the statement of the Iranian President. Ahmadinejad did not say that Iran would attack Israel," he said.
He said Ahmadinejad did not mention `Israeli country` but `Zionist regime`.
Meanwhile, Iranian Ambassador to the UN Mehdi Danesh-Yazdi said that his President`s statement was misunderstood by the Western media.
He explained that the President`s statement was meant as a warning on lately news on Israeli plan to attack Lebanon again next summer.
Occupation
Meanwhile, recently, Indonesia expressed disappointment about the United Nations Security Council`s lack of attention for the Palestinian issue, saying that the council was sometimes excessively responding to certain issues while ignoring those concerning Palestine.
"Sometimes the Security Council seems to be in a hurry to handle certain issues while giving little attention to the Palestinian problem," Indonesia`s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Adiyatwidi Adiwoso Asmady, said at a special UN meeting to mark 40 years of Palestine`s occupation by Israel.
He said it was difficult to make progress toward peace in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict because the Security Council was not showing a strong intention to force Israel to abide by United Nations resolutions.
In Indonesia`s view, Israel`s occupation of Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, is illegal and the cause of the volatile situation in the Middle East, he said.
Adiyatwidi said Israeli`s intensified occupation tactics such as ceaseless attacks, murders and detention of Palestinian government officials and parliament leaders had strangulated the Palestinian people`s life.
"Check points and walls built by Israel around Palestinian settlements have crippled Palestine`s economic and social activities," he said.
Representatives of a number of other countries who also spoke at the meeting likewise called for the termination of the Israeli actions.
They said Israeli occupation of Palestine territories was the root of the Palestine-Israel conflict and called on the Security Council to carry out its responsibility to normalize the situation for the Palestinian people who were now facing poverty, human tragedy and destruction of their land. (dar)
Due to opposition from Indonesia, the United Nations Security Council in a session at the UN Headquarters here on Friday desisted from issuing a press statement strongly condemning Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad`s recent statement on "Israel`s destruction."
French Permanent Representative to the UN Jean-Marc de La Sabliere following the closing of the session, expressed his disappointment over the Security Council`s failure to issue the condemnation statement.<>
France was the initiator of the draft statement, which was fully supported by the United States of America (USA) and Britain.
Media reported early this week that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday (June 3) launched a new verbal attack on Israel, saying a "countdown" has begun that will end with Lebanese and Palestinian militants destroying the Zionist regime.
In a speech to mark the 18th anniversary of the death of revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the president said last summer`s war between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah started the process.
"In Lebanon, the corrupt, arrogant powers and the Zionist regime did all they could in an unfair 33-day war. But after 60 years its (Israel`s) greatness fell apart," Iranian media quoted Ahmadinejad as saying.
"The countdown to this regime`s destruction started through the hands of Hezbollah`s children," Ahmadinejad said in a speech to visiting foreign guests in Tehran.
"We will witness the destruction of this regime in the near future thanks to the endeavors of all Palestinian and Lebanese fighters," Ahmadinejad added.
In response to the Iranian President`s statement, the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations (UN) in New York on June 6 sent a letter to the UN Security Council (UNSC) asking the UNSC to react to Ahmadinejad`s statement.
Both La Sabliere and US Permanent Representative to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad considered Ahmadinejad`s statement a serious issue.
Khalilzad recently told the press that the Iranian President`s statement was a principle and serious problem as well as unacceptable as it was a threat to international peace and security.
Of the 15 members of the UNSC, Indonesia is a non-permanent member, while France and the US are permanent members. Indonesia was the only country that opposed the UNSC draft press statement.
Indonesia`s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Hasan Kleib told ANTARA that there were three reasons why Indonesia opposed the UNSC draft press statement.
First, Kleib considered the UNSC was quite unfair in choosing an issue to be given a reaction, especially in this case the reaction was at the request of Israel`s permanent representative.
"Meanwhile, the UNSC was not giving reaction at all to issues which were obviously threatening international peace and security although we have made repeated requests," the Indonesian envoy said.
He said that among the issues being ignored by the UNSC were the illegal arrest of a number of Palestinian legislators and ministers by Israel, Israel`s plan to kill Hamas` political bureau chief Khalid Mishal, and daily destruction done by Israel in the occupied territories.
"On those issues, the Security Council did not issue even a single press statement," he stated.
Second, Hasan Kleib considered Ahmadinejad`s statement was merely rhetoric to mark the 18th anniversary of the death of revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
"We are used to see a cycle of rhetoric between Israel and Iran so far," he said.
He cited as an example that in April 2007, Israeli Haaretz daily quoted an Israeli high-ranking official calling for the assassination of President Ahmadinejad because "it could push more stability". And the UNSC did not react to the issue, he recalled.
Third, Indonesia considered that the UNSC`s draft press statement did not reflect the real facts.
"It`s not in accordance with the statement of the Iranian President. Ahmadinejad did not say that Iran would attack Israel," he said.
He said Ahmadinejad did not mention `Israeli country` but `Zionist regime`.
Meanwhile, Iranian Ambassador to the UN Mehdi Danesh-Yazdi said that his President`s statement was misunderstood by the Western media.
He explained that the President`s statement was meant as a warning on lately news on Israeli plan to attack Lebanon again next summer.
Occupation
Meanwhile, recently, Indonesia expressed disappointment about the United Nations Security Council`s lack of attention for the Palestinian issue, saying that the council was sometimes excessively responding to certain issues while ignoring those concerning Palestine.
"Sometimes the Security Council seems to be in a hurry to handle certain issues while giving little attention to the Palestinian problem," Indonesia`s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Adiyatwidi Adiwoso Asmady, said at a special UN meeting to mark 40 years of Palestine`s occupation by Israel.
He said it was difficult to make progress toward peace in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict because the Security Council was not showing a strong intention to force Israel to abide by United Nations resolutions.
In Indonesia`s view, Israel`s occupation of Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, is illegal and the cause of the volatile situation in the Middle East, he said.
Adiyatwidi said Israeli`s intensified occupation tactics such as ceaseless attacks, murders and detention of Palestinian government officials and parliament leaders had strangulated the Palestinian people`s life.
"Check points and walls built by Israel around Palestinian settlements have crippled Palestine`s economic and social activities," he said.
Representatives of a number of other countries who also spoke at the meeting likewise called for the termination of the Israeli actions.
They said Israeli occupation of Palestine territories was the root of the Palestine-Israel conflict and called on the Security Council to carry out its responsibility to normalize the situation for the Palestinian people who were now facing poverty, human tragedy and destruction of their land. (dar)
