Lesson on Danger of Issuing Unenforceable Edicts
New Zealand’s sponsorship of the United Nations resolution condemning Israeli house construction on its occupied territories has had a result opposite to the one intended.
Israel has now launched the construction of sufficient housing in these territories to accommodate the equivalent of a New Zealand city i.e. more than 20,000 people.
In the event New Zealand as a temporary member of the security council was the instrument of a long incubated policy, now turned punitive, of former US president Barack Obama.
President Obama had long been determined to persuade Israel to cease new buildings on the occupied territories—for however brief a period of time.
In 2010 then president Obama promised a bounty of incentives including a flight of the latest fighter aircraft if Israel would cease these new buildings. Also vouched was an undertaking to scotch any moves in the UN to issue any resolution of the type to which New Zealand was co-sponsor at the end of last year.
In the event Israel’s long-running premier Benjamin Netanyahu (pictured), fearful of his coalition crumbling held fast to his construction scheme even though a three month freeze would have been enough to mollify president Obama, under pressure from his liberal wing.
The former president was now on the war path and determined to punish Israel with a condemnatory resolution at United Nations.
To make it remotely effective he had to have among the sponsors a christian anglo saxon nation.
Enter now New Zealand with its modest Jewish lobby and, even if there was any outcry, a pc media reluctant to give any pick up to it.
The New Zealand New York-Washington diplomatic presence meanwhile was listening to the politico-media-entertainment class.
The legations had become convinced that Hillary Clinton was the next president.
By sponsoring the resolution they were assured, they would build points with the incoming president.
They understood that as a ruling family the Clintons remained acutely aware of those who render favours, and those who do not.
Even so, if the New Zealand diplomatic stations had maintained contacts with the FBI, they would have had access to quite a different opinion.
The FBI with its field offices in the United States hinterland was receiving consistent reports of the dissatisfaction with the status quo in general and with the Clinton ascendancy in particular.
In any administrative staff college treatment of any kind of governance whatsoever there is usually one outstanding caution.
It is the danger of issuing an edict that cannot be enforced and that therefore will be flouted.
Worse still, if it is seen to be obviously being ignored, as with the no-building resolution.
| From the MSCNewsWire reporters' desk | Monday 6 February 2017 ||
