I couldn’t have parodied it any worse than it actually was: Kofi Annan’s statement at the “offical” word of Arafat’s death:
“The Secretary-General was deeply moved to learn of the death of President Yasser Arafat. President Arafat was one of those few leaders who could be instantly recognized by people in any walk of life all around the world. For nearly four decades, he expressed and symbolized in his person the national aspirations of the Palestinian people,” spokesman Fred Eckhard said in a statement on Annan’s behalf.
The spokesman said Arafat would be remembered for leading the Palestinians in a “giant step” toward peace in signing the Oslo accords in 1993 and, “It is tragic that he did not live to see it fulfilled.”
“Now that he has gone, both Israelis and Palestinians, and the friends of both peoples throughout the world, must make even greater efforts to bring about the peaceful realization of the Palestinian right of self-determination,” the statement said.
The emphasis, of course, is mine.
I don’t know why it bothers me so much. Annan heads the United Nations, which in the past few decades has engaged in full-time Israel-bashing. Since 1947’s partition plan, the UN has done nothing for Israel but fight to try and destroy it – from passing hundreds of one-sided resolutions to refusing to recognize even basic Israeli rights to live or exist. The UN gave Arafat his legitimacy. The UN – through its corrupt agency, UNRWA, perpetuated the Palestinian refugee problem. The UN did everything possible to encourage Palestinian terorrism and give legitimacy to the PLO’s methods. The UN is the enemy here, not a neutral observer. What else could I have expected from Annan?