Danish PM Says It’s OK for Israel to Violate UN Resolutions

One would expect a member of the UN Security Council to respect UN decisions. But apparently this is not always so.

Denmark has a seat in the UN Security Council but Prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen has publicly stated that it’s OK for Israel to violate UN Resolutions. He accepts Israel’s “somewhat forceful method” in defending itself.

At an election meeting Tuesday ­ Denmark is going to the ballots in a few days to elect a new Parliament ­ he was criticised for arguing hat the war on Iraq was based on the fact that Saddam Hussein violated UN Resolutions, while at the same time Israel did and does the exact same thing.

“I agree that Israel does not fully comply with all UN Security Council Resolutions. But Israel is not run by an unscrupulous dictator. That makes a clear difference. And Israel is surrounded by enemies that wish to throw Israel into the sea. We have to face there is a special history. Israel has to defend itself with a somewhat forceful method.”

Members of the left wing opposition to Rasmussen’s right wing government were appalled. Soren Sondergaard says to the daily newspaper, Politiken, that this is another example that the present government doesn’t care at all about the UN: “He should consequentially pull Denmark out of the Security Council.”

Pernille Frahm thinks that Rasmussen’s position will “weaken the battle against terrorism and increase anger amongst Palestinians.”

Danish Amnesty International is shocked as well. General Secretary Lars Norman Jorgensen says to Danish television that “As a member of the Security Council Denmark has a special obligation to keep all counties of the world to respect all UN Resolutions.”

Off course Rasmussen will not pull Denmark out of the Security Council. But will he admit his is wrong in allowing Israel’s “somewhat forceful methods”? Absolutely not. It’s not his style to admit his errors.

STEEN SOHN is a freelance journalist living in Denmark.