Resolutions against Israel aren’t the only measures Ambassador Haley should veto.
In 1995 Congress tried to force the United Nations to reform by refusing to pay America’s dues. The effort was worthy, but it failed. The U.N. made no real changes and quickly went back to its cynical and corrupt ways. Some in Congress have suggested a repeat in an effort to force the Security Council to revoke the anti-Israel resolution it approved last month.
Instead, the Trump administration could use a far more effective tactic: the veto. The U.N. charter gives the U.S. the ability to paralyze the international body. Why not use it? Since U.N. peacekeeping operations must be renewed periodically by Security Council vote, they would be a good place to start.
In 1979 President Carter negotiated the Camp David agreement between Israel and Egypt. The U.N. refused to support a peacekeeping operation in Sinai, so America, Israel and Egypt established the Multinational Force and Observers, which still patrols the region. Its soldiers aren’t allowed to wear the blue berets associated with ordinary U.N. peacekeepers, so they are issued orange ones.
Mr. Trump could easily follow this precedent and instruct U.N. Ambassador-designate Nikki Haley to veto the renewal of all current peacekeeping operations. That would save the U.S. Treasury some of the roughly $2 billion a year it pays in assessed dues for the peacekeeping budget. Countries that support peacekeeping operations in places like Mali, South Sudan, Kashmir and the Central African Republic would either have to pay for them, as the U.S. has done in Sinai, or abandon them.
In Cyprus, for example, a U.N. operation has been active since 1974. Cyprus is now a full member of the European Union, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is a dependency of Turkey, at least in theory still a candidate for EU membership. Why should the U.N.—and the U.S.—foot the bill for something the EU should be doing?
For Europeans, especially the French and British, voting for anti-Israel resolutions in the U.N. has long been a cost-free way not only to appease domestic and foreign foes of the Jewish state but also to kick Uncle Sam in the shins. That could change. Mr. Trump does not seem to care about the goodwill of allies who fail to reciprocate America’s efforts on their behalf.
A policy of disrupting the U.N.’s system of peacekeeping might have drawbacks. In some regions U.N. peacekeepers actually perform a useful role. On the other hand, in places like South Sudan, where there is no peace to keep, all they do is to help humanitarian organizations provide war-catering services.
Aggressive use of the veto would not only save the Treasury money; it would annoy the international bureaucrats to no end. It could eventually lead to dramatic reform of the world body that, in almost every area, has failed to fulfill the great hopes its founders held for it in the 1940s and ’50s.
—Mr. Dinerman writes on space policy and national security.
@ James E Horn:
Remember when Giuliani booted Arafat and got scolded by Clinton?
“THE U.N. AT 50: ARAFAT; White House Condemns Giuliani for Ejecting Arafat From Concert”
By DAVID FIRESTONE
Published: October 25, 1995
“A day after Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani expelled Yasir Arafat from a concert for world leaders at Lincoln Center, the Clinton Administration sharply criticized the Mayor yesterday for what Washington officials called an embarrassing breach of international diplomacy…”
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE7D6163DF936A15753C1A963958260
I am somewhat surprised at all the commotion regarding the U.N resolution 2334 which condemns Jewish Communities and Settlements in the West Bank aka Judea and Samaria. It should be noted Israel regained land and rebuilt communities previously taken from it illegally via the Defensive War of 1967 when it had to defend itself from an unprovoked attack from Jordan. If the U.N voted a resolution declaring the Vatican as Muslim territory, is anyone going to abide by it?
According to my research, the U.N. Charter only provides for the recommendation(s) of a Resolution. In fact, the U.N. has absolutely no legal standing or power to enforce any Resolution(s). Furthermore, it cannot be ignored the U.N. has recommended hundreds of Resolutions against Israel with no legal, or factual standing to support said Resolutions. There is also the U.N. Article 51 which provides for defense against attack.
Israel is on solid legal and historical ground as far as Its’ territorial boundaries west of the Jordan River. In fact, history proves Israel has both a legal and historical claim for a lot of land held by Jordan.
The World at large has for thousands of years wrongfully persecuted the Jews, confiscated and stole their assets including land. The world at large will try and push us around if we let them. It is time to put an end to such unjustified persecution.
All the distortions of history up to and including modern day, by biased nations relying upon fictitious make-believe facts and wishful beliefs, must not be tolerated any more. While most of the biased world continues to unjustly assail Israel, the nation of Israel contributes to the world a substantial amount of advancement and technology in all fields, including medicine, energy, water desalination, IT, and much more.
Today the Jewish State of Israel has the man-power and the resources to defend itself against most world powers. Thus, it is time for us Jews to become unified and stand up for ourselves as was done during the days of Moses, King David and King Solomon.
We are supposed to be “a stubborn nation” (Am Kshey Oref). Let us utilize our “stubborn” resolve with a strong backbone steeled with our unwavering faith. If we stand our ground without capitulations, we might encounter some obstacles and suffer some set-backs. But in the long run we will be stronger and the world at large will respect us more.
We must overcome the “victim mentality” we have too easily accepted over thousands of years. It is time for all Jews worldwide to raise our heads, and steel our resolve as a proud nation with proud people.
Ambassador Haley. Please use your veto authority outright on all UN renewal of all current peacekeeping operations. It should also begin the dismantling of our presence in the UN, and finally the removal of the UN from USA soil.
The 1995 effort failed because it was half hearted and failed to be comprehensive.
Trump can win by:
1) Stop all foreign aid to countries who fail to support us and our initiatives.
2) Limit travel to a 25-mile radius of the UN for all members of UN missions that fail to support us.
3) It is well known that most of the nations with staff in New York fail to pay traffic fines, rent, utilities and so forth and we taxpayers get stuck with their bills. Let New York police tag, tow, and impound their illegally parked cars. Let their utilities be cut off and stay off until they, not we taxpayers pay their bills.
5) When members of UN missions beat people up, commit rapes, and other crimes, put them on a plane and send them home. Put their names on no-fly lists.
4) Make them deal with consequences of their anti-American actions. Make them hurt. If they retaliate against us, close our embassies and consulates down and bring our staffs home. That will hurt them more than us, because with our closures they can’t get visas, and so forth.