Questions with no answers

[Violet_Crumble]

Ali Abunimah,
The Electronic Intifada,
8 June 2004

Does UN Secretary General Kofi Annan think that Palestinians have a right to defend themselves against the kinds of violent attacks and destruction Israel is carrying out in Rafah refugee camp? This is a straightforward question, but despite my best efforts, it is impossible to get a straightforward answer.

Annan recently termed Israel's massive lethal campaign of house destruction in Gaza "acts of collective punishment" and "grave violations of international law." Israeli tactics included bulldozing homes with their residents inside or fleeing only moments before. It ought to follow that any person or group of people subjected to an illegal, life-threatening attack have an inherent right to self-defence using force if necessary. Every legal system in the world recognizes this, including international law.

Annan has often been very explicit in affirming this when it comes to Israel. Most recently, in a communique following the May 4 meeting of the "Quartet," Annan stated, "While recognizing Israel's legitimate right to self-defence in the face of terrorist attacks against its citizens, within the parameters of international humanitarian law, we call on the Government of Israel to exert maximum efforts to avoid civilian casualties."

This concept underlies all of Annan's statements about Israeli actions: the Secretary-General will often criticize Israel for using "excessive force," but almost never questions Israel's inherent right to achieve its goals through the use of violence. Since Israel always describes its actions as "self-defence," this is effectively carte blanche. But when it comes to Palestinians, I could not find a single statement from Annan positively affirming their right to self-defence against Israeli aggression. By contrast, Annan has made countless statements critcizing, condemning and calling for a halt to Palestinian acts of violence, even when they are directed at Israeli military targets within occupied territory.

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article2799.shtml