The Foul Stench
The Foul Stench
That fetid wind blowing from the east is not the smell of low tide–it’s Europe talking:
France called on Israel on Friday to free arrested Hamas ministers and said both sides must move to reduce escalating tensions.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Jean-Baptiste Mattei said France fears that the situation will “feed an escalation and strengthen the most extreme elements, which is doubtless not Israel’s objective.”
France does not want the situation to lead to “the weakening and, even less so, the disappearance of the Palestinian Authority,” Mattei said.
“The Israelis must be very vigilant about the consequences of their actions,” the spokesman said during a regular press briefing, adding that Israeli restraint in the situation “is desirable.”
“A de-escalation must be started,” Mattei said.
Referring to the eight Palestinian ministers and 56 other Hamas officials captured by Israel, he added, “We await the liberation of these political officials.”
Freeing Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit would also clearly favor a de-escalation, he said.
The most dangerous place in the world is not in Gaza right now, but between those wretched anti-Semites at the UN and a microphone:
The United Nations Security Council was scheduled to convene on Friday night (Israel time) to discuss the recent escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including the ongoing IDF incursion into the Gaza Strip and the massive arrests of 64 senior Hamas officials on Thursday.
Iran and Algeria requested the meeting, for the purpose of issuing a condemnation against Israel.
Senior Foreign Ministry officials were working with the United Nations delegation in order to prevent such a condemnation.
On Thursday night, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni called United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana, to discuss recent events in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
She related Israel’s position on the continuing incursion into Gaza and the widespread arrests of 64 Hamas officials on Thursday morning. Livni emphasized Israel’s right to self defense.
Earlier in the day, the G-8 foreign ministers’ summit of developed countries that convened in St. Petersburg, expressed grave concern at the deterioration of the conflict. The diplomats meeting in Russia condemned the arrests and called upon Israel to show restraint.
Hey, those Hamas fucks are still breathing, aren’t they? That’s restraint, if you ask me. Each time they exhale adds more CO2 to the atmosphere.
Seriously, Israel shouldn’t be talking about self-defense anymore. That cruiser has already put to sea. The only question left is how much of Gaza will be left when Israel is done converting it to a demilitarized zone. Keep the beaches (it’s hard to fire missiles from the choppy surf), but pave or mine the rest. Qassam missiles are still landing every day, even as this crisis threatens to explode. Where’s the restraint there?