Simon says - UN impotence laid bare

As a matter of record, the full title of that article by Simon Tisdall is "UN impotence laid bare as Gaza suffers". However, after a short hesitation, I have decided to remove the coda, since "Darfur suffers", "India suffers", "Congo suffers" and many others, even the improbable (or impossible in that rag?) "Israel suffers", could do as well.

I shall mark that day in my journal: it is a unique occurrence of being so completely in tune and in agreement with a newspaper title in general, and with one found in Guardian in particular. And I don't even have a journal, so it calls for a visit to a stationary shop as well, and who knows what wonders will this day bring!

Oh, and I have completely forgot: otherwise the article is complete and utter rubbish. It does not take a genius to guess that, after eloquently describing the Gaza suffering (real and true, to be sure), Simon T. quickly fingers the two responsible parties - the Big Satan and the Small Satan. In his refined British way of formulating this rubbish.

So, I have several remarks to make re some points raised in the article (count them yourself this time).

Leading UN agencies are issuing increasingly dramatic warnings about the humanitarian situation in Gaza...

Stop the Qassams and free our soldier.

There have also been numerous expressions of international public dismay.

Stop the Qassams and free our soldier.

"An already alarming situation, with poverty rates at nearly 80% and unemployment at nearly 40%, is likely to deteriorate rapidly unless immediate, urgent action is taken," the UN agencies said in a joint statement.

Stop the Qassams and free our soldier.

The UN Relief and Works Agency said Gaza was "on the brink of a public health disaster" due to electricity and water shortages caused by Israeli military action.

Stop the Qassams and free our soldier.

The World Food Programme said 70% of Palestinians in Gaza were to some degree dependent on food aid, a situation that has in any case been steadily worsening following the US and EU's decision to ostracise the Hamas-led government.

Stop the Qassams and free our soldier.

Unicef said Palestinian children living in "an environment of extraordinary violence, insecurity and fear" were being harmed psychologically.

Stop the Qassams and free our soldier.

Kofi Annan, the UN secretary-general, has also repeatedly called for a halt to a confrontation that began in earnest after a Palestinian incursion into Israel on June 25 killed two soldiers.

Stop the Qassams and free our soldier.

He urged militants to release Cpl Shalit and stop firing rockets at Israeli civilians, called on Israeli forces to show restraint, and asked their government "to act urgently to facilitate the import of essential medical supplies, foodstuffs and fuel".

Stop the Qassams and free our soldier.

I hope that a person as intelligent as Simon T. could easily decipher these remarks. If not, I am ready to provide an additional lesson - gratis.

Cross-posted on Yourish.com