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UN abandons Jenin probe

Terzilio Quinterelli | 02.05.2002 09:32

No Massacre ! No Inquiry ! seems like the truth about what happened in Jenin will never come out.
The israelis say they have nothing to hide, so why are they refusing to allow the UN to investigate.
Pretty sick, and it's not exactly hitting the headlines .

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/middle_east/newsid_1963000/1963214.stm

UN abandons Jenin probe

Houses were reduced to rubble in the army offensive
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has confirmed that he
intends to disband the planned fact-finding mission into
what happened at the Jenin refugee camp during the
recent Israeli offensive.

The move follows days of wrangling and delays to the
mission after Israel raising a series of objections to its
mandate.

The Palestinians allege that a massacre took place at the camp during the week-long
assault there - something Israel denies.

In a letter to the 15-member body, Kofi Annan said he intended to disband the UN
mission on Thursday. The letter was delivered as the Council began to discuss the
issue.

With US backing, the Council had already appointed former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari to lead the 20-member mission. He and his team had gathered in
Geneva waiting to be given the go-ahead.

Truth unknown

Announcing the decision Mr Annan said he regretted
that abandoning the mission meant "the long shadow
cast by recent events in the Jenin refugee camp will
remain."

He also warned that with the situation in the West Bank
constantly changing, "it will become more and more
difficult to establish with any confidence or accuracy the
recent events that took place there".

When the plan for the mission was first mooted Israel had welcomed the idea, insisting it had nothing to hide.

But there was soon a change of heart, with Israel demanding changes in both the team's make-up and terms of reference.

Speaking on ABC television's "Nightline" on Wednesday Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon
rejected allegations that his government were trying to hide a massacre.

"We do not have anything to hide. The Israeli armed forces have got very high values," he said.

Bias accusations

He also accused the UN of anti-Israeli bias. "I never saw
that the United Nations was so determined to send
fact-finding commission to other places," he said.

"They didn't send to see what happened in the
Passover Eve when 28 people were killed," he added,
referring to a suicide bombing in the Israeli city of
Netanya.

In Washington, the Bush
administration expressed
regret over the abandoning
of the mission.

"The US and other UN
Security Council members
worked to facilitate an
agreement concerning
Secretary-General Annan's
initiative. We regret that it
did not work out," said
Sean McCormack,
spokesman for the White
House National Security
Council.

Terzilio Quinterelli
- Homepage: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/middle_east/newsid_1963000/1963214.stm

Comments

Hide the following 4 comments

blood, rubble and the stench of corpses

02.05.2002 10:12

A deal was done behind the scenes in which the release of Yasser Arafat was secured, in exchange for the abandonment of the UN inquiry into what happened at Jenin. I think this will be last we will ever hear of Jenin again. Palestinian blood is not water, and israelie blood is not water.
Redemption through exile and agitation.

yossela
- Homepage: http://www.NETUREIKARTA.ORG


Sharon calls the shots

02.05.2002 10:26

The reason a 'fact-finding' mission wasn't sent to Israel after the Passover Eve was because we knew the facts, a suicide bomber blew himself up! We don't know who was massacred in Jenin or why, because Israel banned the media, and now the UN. Other countries take note, when the UN comes to investigate your crimes, just say "go away... shooo" and they will.

Observer


Bloody Sunday

02.05.2002 10:57

And why aren't the Brits calling for a UN investigation into the Bloody Sunday massacre?

D


Becoming clearer

02.05.2002 16:23

Finally it seems everybody, including Human Rights Watch, is now realizing the stories flowing out of Jenin were a fantasy for media consumption. Unfortunately the fallout from this big lie will be incalculable damage to any future peace talks. The Palestinians have to get their act together or no one will be surprised if they lose everything.

Ben
mail e-mail: biguselessblob@hotmail.com