The UN Might Have Given Hamas Those 20 Rockets Stashed in Their School

[abovesobelow]

"After finding 20 rockets in a United Nations school last week, a U.N. agency did the only sensible thing it could think of: return them to "local authorities."

It all started last week when the missiles were found in a vacant school belonging to U.N.R.W.A. (The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees). Shocked, appalled, and horrified, the group, which runs more than 200 schools in the Gaza Strip, issued this condemnation:

UNRWA strongly condemns the group or groups responsible for placing the weapons in one of its installations. This is a flagrant violation of the inviolability of its premises under international law. This incident, which is the first of its kind in Gaza, endangered civilians including staff and put at risk UNRWA’s vital mission to assist and protect Palestine refugees in Gaza.

Following the discovery, U.N.R.W.A. "informed the relevant parties and successfully took all necessary measures for the removal of the objects in order to preserve the safety and security of the school" and launched an investigation into the matter."

http://www.thewire.com/global/2014/07/the-un-might-have-given-hamas-those-20-rockets-stashed-their-school/374793/

[bemildred]

1. UN dragged into conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza

The UN has been dragged unwillingly into the war between Israel and Hamas after six of its schools were hit in two weeks and weapons caches found in three, violating the organisation's neutrality.

The attacks on UN schools sheltering people fleeing bombardment have reverberated around the world, with unusually strong condemnation from Washington, and UN demands for an international inquiry into "gross violations of international law". The most recent attack, on Sunday, was described by the UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, as "a moral outrage and a criminal act".

Israel, however, has accused Hamas and other militant groups of firing rockets from positions close to UN premises, and the UN has made three separate discoveries of weapons caches in its schools. Each time the UN has denounced such use of its buildings as a "flagrant violation" of its neutrality.

On top of the shelling and rocket fire and the accompanying war of words, 11 UN workers have been killed in the four-week conflict, including at least five teachers and a school principal. The UN says 95 of its installations in Gaza have been damaged since the start of the conflict, in 135 strikes that include at least 10 direct hits.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/04/un-dragged-conflict-israel-hamas-gaza

[Maedhros]

2. This conflict is tailor-made for a UN peacekeeping response.

Of course, the US will veto any such effort on the grounds that the risk of peace breaking out is too high.