Disentitling Israel at the International Level

"Given the current circumstances on the ground, we believe that this resolution is not a step in the right direction, as it risks potentially sowing further divisions."

"[The resolution] fails to address the immense security challenges Israel faces, including Hamas's use of the Gaza Strip as a launching pad for its rampage of killing of Israelis, while systematically using the Palestinian civilians as human shields."

"[This] assembly has once again failed to acknowledge this issue with today's vote."

Czech Republic Ambassador to the UN Jakub Kulhanek

The final result of a vote during the emergency session on the legal consequences of Israel’s actions in the Palestinian territories is shown at United Nations Headquarters in New York on Sept 18, 2024. (PHOTO / AFP)

Israel, that tiny sliver of land that the world community gave its permission to allow Jews to call its homeland, representing a fraction of its historical ancestral land base and which has been forced by its neighbours -- furious at its presence in land they claim is consecrated to a divine entity of a much later entry to the pantheon of the world's religions -- to militarily respond whenever a neighbouring country or irregular terrorist militia feels impelled to challenge its presence, suffers the ongoing indignity of UN accusations of human rights abuses.

 

It has been made manifestly evident that any time Israel responds to the never-ending violent assaults from its neighbours by militarily protecting itself and its citizens from their deadly force, the international community takes umbrage at the most technologically sophisticated, moral armed force in the world daring to project its determination to foil every such attack's purpose; its destruction. Israel's drubbing of its enemies when it has been provoked beyond endurance is never applauded as just, but consequentially condemned as 'just too much'. 

Israel, unique enough as the homeland of the world's great dispersal of Jews throughout history, and a modern giant of technology and innovation whose inventiveness in every sphere of human endeavour gifts itself and the world at large with forward looking human enterprise -- enriching science, medicine, agriculture, technology and education -- still becomes an object of accusatory slander; that classic syndrome of doing everything right, interpreted as disproportionately engaged in defending itself.

The United Nations General Assembly saw fit to pass 14 resolutions in condemnation of the Jewish state, fully double the entire number of condemnations of all other countries combined, in 2023 alone. Global human rights violators barely register for a chiding by the UN. Rather, countries like Iran, Venezuela, China, Saudi Arabia, North Korea and Syria are either entirely bypassed for censure for their human rights violations, or face a single resolution of condemnation in an entire year.

There were 140 resolutions raised against Israel between 2015 and 2022 where the General Assembly focused on Israel; a number more than double passed against all other countries in the world combined. That states committing human rights violations barely risk a nod from the UN is commonplace. For the second time in the year that is moving toward the anniversary date of October 7 reflecting a sadistically savage pogrom by Islamist terrorists against Israel, 124 countries of the General Assembly voted in favour of the latest resolution, with 14 against and 43 abstaining.

The call was for Israel to withdraw its forces from Gaza in its pursuit of the Hamas terrorists who slaughtered over a thousand Israeli civilians, raped and mutilated Israeli girls and women before murdering them relentlessly, destroyed farming villages, setting homes on fire with entire families burning to death, and taking 240 infants, elderly, women, men, soldiers hostage back to Gaza. Many of the hostages were tortured, many murdered, and all have been kept in inhumane conditions and subjected to violations of humanity.

At no time has a resolution been tabled before the General Assembly demanding the dismantling of Palestinian terrorist groups, requiring their weapons to be set aside, that the hostages be released back to Israel, and that hostilities on the part of the terrorists cease and desist. Israel only, in its resolve to destroy the death cult that continues to ravage Israel with the clear intention of murdering as many Jews as possible -- anywhere, is held to account and judged inadequate in its response to the nonsensical and obviously biased opinion of the UN. A UN which would never impose retaliatory restrictions on any other country that had suffered such a massive loss.

Conflicts of massive offence are treated as inconvenient incidents, but Israel's right of self-defense is placed under the microscope of special 'contexts'. Terrorist entities calling openly for the destruction of Israel and the concurrent death of Jews are given no notice; it is Israel which must withdraw and make reparations. Countries like Canada which at one time could be relied upon to vote against such unjust resolutions now prefer to withhold their vote as though a national morality of 'neutrality' reigned.

Whereas a handful of courageous and morally decisive countries like the Czech Republic, clearly understanding the level of deception and hypocrisy involved will have none of it, and hold the United Nations and its anti-Israel cliques to account for their jaundiced hateful interpretation of a situation they cannot bring themselves to condemn, to the point of supporting the right of existence of a member nation which has endured the unendurable by those who wish it ill.

 

"In my speech at the General Assembly, I condemned the hypocrisy and bias in the United Nations, which since October 7 has passed two resolutions that failed to mention Hamas and its responsibility for the massacre last October."

"I reiterated that anyone who supports this circus is a collaborator. Every vote you cast in support of this circus fuels the violence."

"This empty show is not just an insult to the victims of October 7. It is an insult to the hostages."

Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon

Help Yourself Find and Reach Goals

"...It pops when you point out that it's the perfect fresh start."

"The season -- Easter, Passover, Ramadan -- pick your renewal holiday."

"All of the religions have it pegged, but in regular life without religious prompting we can use it, too." 

Katy Milkman, professor, Wharton School

Oscar Wong -- Getty Images

 

The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania -- produced a study that shows what is called the 'fresh start effect' has a particular draw in spring. One experiment they conducted had subjects urged to save for retirement making use of different 'temporal landmarks'. They had the option of saving right then and now or to select a future date, like New Year's, a birthday or the first day of spring.

When several months elapsed, it was seen that people who focused on saving on their birthdays or at spring onset, had managed to save 20 to 30 percent more than the other selected groups. There is a fairly universal belief that the turn of a new year is the right time to decide to make changes in one's life, but some studies have clarified that New Year's resolutions have a tendency to fade; by April and May the resolutions draw little attention from those who claimed them.

New research suggests that it is spring, itself a time of global renewal and inspiration, that would represent the best time to turn one's mind to changes and goals. Sometimes stale old habits become more amenable to change and the adoption of new habits when the world itself is doing just that; having shed winter and welcomed spring with all its promises of new life, that particular natural event can act as a spur to action for people, as well.

Professor Milkman, the author of How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be, subscribes to the theory that motivation can 'wax and wane', providing the reason why fresh beginnings pair well with a single action relating to an inner need to keep people committed to identifying and adapting themselves to new perspectives.

She suggests that spring is the optimum time to think about enrolling in a savings plan with automatic deductions; to sign up for a fitness class or gym membership. There are other recommendations she makes that could be useful to the individual looking for new meaning in their lives and how best to express and acknowledge that it's time to make a fresh start in motivating themselves to achieve satisfaction in life. For example; start small:

• Place a notebook on your night table, use it to write down your thoughts and concerns;
• Commit to scheduling a physical, mammogram or dental appointment;
• Plan a trip for a happiness boost through an interesting vacation;
• Organize passwords, begin using a financial planning app;
• Put together a home library of all the books you've ever meant to read and read them;
• Commit yourself to more home meal preparations using wholesome food
• Get invested in a good leisure exercise routine.

Invest in a little introspection. Identify what is important to you. Plan to pay attention to those elements that classify as meaningful in your life. If achievement is your goal, make certain you have planned in a way that will make it possible for you to reach your goals. Identify what you find pleasure in doing, and what gives you the most satisfaction in your working and leisure life.

• What do you really think of yourself and your method of living life to its fullest?
• Who or what matters most to you?
• What are your deepest-held values?
• How is success defined in  your mind?
• What makes your life worth living?

Carefully write down your answers and engage in some deep introspection on whether your goals are within reach. And be aware that goals and satisfaction in life at some points in your life may change and with that change your own direction in gaining the control you want to have of your life must adapt to alterations. Be honest with yourself, and be practical.

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