Nikki Haley Calls Out Arab Countries at UN - 'We Are Not Fools'
United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley has been raising hackles among the world’s diplomats from the day she took her seat in 2017.
But on Tuesday, she raised the pressure even more.
In a U.N. Security Council speech that defended Israeli strikes against the terrorist group Hamas over the weekend, Haley not only stood up for the Jewish state, she threw down a challenge for Arab and Muslim nations who constantly carp about living conditions for Palestinians, but put up so little of their own money to help.
According to Fox News, Haley pointed out that there’s “no end” to strong statements from Arab governments in the Middle East attacking Israel, but no real assistance that even comes close to what the United States provides.
And for that, the United States is attacked for its support for Israel.
“Since (1993), the United States has provided over $6 billion (with a ‘b’) dollars in bilateral assistance to the Palestinians. How much have the Arab countries – some of whom are wealthy – how much have they given to the Palestinians? It does not come anywhere close to what the United States has done,” she said, according to a State Department transcript.
“Americans are very generous people. We are humanitarian-oriented. And we continue to seek out ways to help the Palestinian people, whose plight is of genuine concern to us,” she said.
“But we are not fools. If we extend a hand in friendship and generosity, we do not expect our hand to be bitten. And as we extend our hand, we also expect others to extend theirs as well.”
Check it out here. Every word of it is worth watching, but the “we are not fools” line of thought starts about the 5:20 mark.
Actually, an argument could be made that United States policy in the region has certainly been foolish in the past. Giving billions of dollars in American aid to the Palestinian “refugees” ruled by the twin kleptocracies of Hamas and the Palestinian Authority and getting nothing but hatred and spite in return — as Haley’s speech noted — might not seem like the wisest move.
And as Haley pointed out, the nations the Arab nations that claim a kinship with the Palestinian people have done comparatively little to help.
“Where are the Arab countries when it comes to encouraging reconciliation between Palestinian factions, which is essential to peace?” Haley asked, according to Fox News. “Where are the Arab countries when it comes to denouncing Hamas terrorism? Where are the Arab countries when it comes to supporting compromises that are necessary for peace?”
With those questions, Haley hits the nail on the head.
The Arab countries aren’t interested in “peace” because it doesn’t serve their purpose.
For Arab governments, as well as Iran, the Palestinians are far more useful as suffering pawns in global politics – a perpetual thorn in Israel’s side – than they would be as peacefully resettled productive citizens (like the Jews of Israel who were thrown out of their homes in Arab countries when Israel was created but somehow managed to get on with their lives without relying on the world for handouts.)
Since the beginning of Donald Trump’s presidency, Haley has been one of the clearest voices of American foreign policy on the world stage, calling out United States rivals on all fronts, but preserving a special scorn for the bloody hypocrisies of the Middle East.
Judging by her speech on Tuesday, she’s going to keep raising the pressure.
“We are not fools,” she said.
Not anymore maybe. And maybe the rest of the world will start learning that soon.
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