The Russians are furious with Israel for daring to bomb Damascus Airport. In the IAF raid, both the civilian and the military runways – the Damascus Airport has only two — were rendered inoperable. Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov is outraged that Israel would hit such a “civilian” target and is preparing a Security Council Resolution against Israel. More on this planned Russian denunciation of Israel is here: “Moscow Works On UN Resolution Condemning Israel for Damascus Airport Strike: Report,” Algemeiner, June 19, 2022:
Russia is reportedly preparing a proposal for a UN Security Council resolution condemning Israel for a recent attack on Damascus airport.
Israeli officials told Kan that Moscow was working on the resolution that blamed Israel for violating international law and Syrian sovereignty, as well as undermining stability in the region. Israel hasn’t confirmed it was behind the attack that was carried out over a week ago.
Earlier in June, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Moscow condemned Israeli “provocation” in Syria that reportedly left one civilian wounded and the airport runway damaged. All flights to and from Damascus were stalled for several days.
Last week Moscow also summoned Israeli ambassador Alex Ben-Zvi to demand clarifications on the attack. However, Israeli officials on Sunday expressed doubt that the proposed resolution would be supported by the UN members.
The resolution will certainly be vetoed by three members of the Security Council – the U.S., the U.K., and France – though only a vote by one of them is necessary to prevent it from being adopted. The resolution, then, will have no effect in the real world, but is of symbolic significance, meant to demonstrate the depth of Russian anger with the Israelis and possibly to curtail Israel operations in Syria. That won’t happen. The Israeli Air Force (IAF) will continue to inflict damage on targets in Syria in its new, stepped-up campaign designed to prevent the transferral by Iran of advanced weapons, including precision-guided missiles, to Hezbollah. The Damascus airport was hit – and will be hit again If necessary – because Iran used civilian planes to smuggle weapons to Hezbollah operatives in Syria. Because of that, the Damascus Airport can be considered a legitimate military target.
Since the civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out numerous airstrikes against Iran-backed forces and fighters from Lebanon’s terrorist group Hezbollah that support the country’s President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
The targeted airport is located south of the capital Damascus where various terrorist organizations are active and have arms depots. An unnamed Israeli official was quoted as saying that Iran was “continuing to use Syrian territory and the airport to smuggle weapons.”
The Russian resolution has no possibility of being adopted. But its mere introduction will subject Russia to ridicule, for its feigned indignation over Israeli attacks on what Moscow wants us all to believe was a purely “civilian” target. Israel has plenty of evidence of the Damascus Airport being used to smuggle in weapons from Iran for delivery to Hezbollah, and no doubt has photographs of some of those arms being offloaded from “civilian” planes. Furthermore, Israel can present the evidence of arms depots that are scattered around the edge of the airport, where the weapons are first stored, after being removed from the planes, until secure delivery to Hezbollah operatives can be made.
The Russians have some chutzpah in preparing this resolution. They feign outrage about Israel’s choice of a “civilian target” — the Damascus Airport, that was being used for military purpose — even as the Russian army in Ukraine attacks, day after day, civilian targets, including residential buildings, schools, hospitals, bridges, roads, and other civilian infrastructure, and is reliably reported to have killed, since February 24, tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians who were nowhere near military targets.
At the Security Council, the Russians will set themselves up to be laughing stocks if they really do go ahead and present this resolution. The American representative can do more than veto the resolution, along with British and French colleagues, but also take the occasion to do two things. First, the Americans can present the evidence, including satellite imagery of the prolonged use of civilian planes landing at Damascus Airport by Iranians to smuggle in weapons intended for transfer to Hezbollah. Second, the Americans can show photographic evidence of the contents of arms depots that have been built on the outskirts of the airport. Third, and most embarrassing for the Russians, will be the photographic evidence of the atrocities they have been carrying out nonstop for four months, against Ukrainian civilians, the evidence for which “war crimes” is being diligently collected by the Ukrainians themselves, in the hope of some future “war crimes” trial.
Does Sergei Lavrov, or his semi-demented boss, Vladimir Putin, only begetter of what should be called Putin’s War, really want to open up Russia to that kind of attack at the Security Council, where its charges about Israel hitting a civilian airport will be undermined and mocked by the photographic evidence of weapons being offloaded from Iranian “civilian” planes? How will the Russians respond to a full-bore attack on the many atrocities it has deliberately carried out against Ukrainian civilians? Think carefully, Sergei Lavrov, before you introduce that resolution condemning Israel at the Security Council. Do you really want to find yourself hoist by your own hypocritical petard?
mortimer says
Look who’s talking! Russians are in no position to lecture any other country on ethics.
Russia has not only bombed many civilian centers in Ukraine, but they have INVADED AN ENTIRE COUNTRY with the INTENTION OF ANNEXING IT TO RUSSIAN TERRITORY.
Russia has declared that Ukrainians are not a separate ethnicity and thus the invasion of Ukraine is GENOCIDAL in its stated intention.
Ukrainians have a right to self-determination.
Hank says
Russia will most likely breakup as most of it is comprised of sovereign ethnic republics with their own culture and language that resent having been attacked, massacred, plundered and annexed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqYZqNpLQb8
“Moreover, wine is treacherous and betrays the arrogant man,
So that he does not stay at home.
His appetite is large like Sheol,
And he is like death, never satisfied.” He gathers to himself all nations
And collects to himself all peoples [as if he owned them].” Habakkuk 2:5
“Because you have looted many nations,
All peoples who are left will loot you—
Because of human bloodshed and for the violence done to the land,
To the city and all its inhabitants. “ Habakkuk 2:8
“Woe (judgment is coming) to him who builds a city with bloodshed
And establishes a town by violence!” Habakkuk 2:12
Infidel says
I just wonder which America will present itself at the Security Council for this resolution? Will it be the viscerally anti-Israel America, which in the last few days of Obama enabled a Security Council resolution against Israel to pass, and which has been strengthened by the likes of Ilhan Omar? Or will it be Adam Schitt’s and Eric Swalwell’s America, which considers Russia the greatest enemy of the US, greater than even the Soviet Union or China?
As for Russia, it has proven itself a regional power rather than a world power in how it has struggled to even conquer the Donbass region, let alone all of Ukraine. Their being a threat to Israel in Syrian airspace rings much more hollow. It’s probably time to remove Russia as a permanent member of the Security Council, and really pop the morale of Putin’s support. In fact, while at it, make only the US and China – the only real powers – permanent members, and drop UK, France and Russia
Roland says
It remains to be seen whether the US, Britain, and France veto this faux resolution. Blinken is a cypher. It never matters when Israel has truth and justice on its side at the UN. With Putin fading out, Russia’s true anti-semitic face emerges.
Infidel says
I think all the moves Russia is making is at Putin’s behest. Had he not still been in power, Russia might have had a more sensible leader phasing in gradual reforms
The most anti-Semitic of those 4 governments I think is the current Biden administration. Yeah, the Iran deal has fallen through, but not due to lack of effort from Biden. Just b’cos Iran is now capable of making a nuke already
somehistory says
i.elmi, alias i.omar, is being challenged by a democrat who has said the mozlum is not a citizen of the U.S. and, therefore not legally allowed to be a rep in the House.
Hearing for tomorrow, the 23. I’ll try to find out more on that.
In any case, all who are against Israel, will decide that it doesn’t matter which other countries may bomb hospitals, schools, churches, airports, etc. just as long as Israel gets slings and arrows because the runway may be used by civilians to go places….in reality, because it was Israel that bombed the runway.
Keith O says
If it transpires that she is illegal and not allowed to be in the house, would that nullify any votes she has made and call into question any laws that were passed with her support?
somehistory says
I am no expert on that matter. I have read both sides of the similar issue when “bo” was in the WH illegally. some said it could all be nullified, and others said he had done too much that could not be undone.
a Constitutional expert on such matters would have to weigh in. Certainly, any matters that were not of national importance could be looked at and possibly nullified.
If there was some law or resolution passed in the House that had passed by one vote, and she was on that side of the issue, then it might be easier to undo.
I’m just guessing, based on things I have read and heard from those who, at least pretend, to know.
Wellington says
So very tired of Russia. It never learns.
Wellington says
Just an historical note, to wit, today is the 81st anniversary of the Nazi invasion of Soviet Russia. Two evils confronting one another after the temporary truce between these two malevolencies as of August 1939—and which devastated Poland.
No honor among thieves. Not then. Not now. And again demonstrating that Russia never learns. Please, Russia, no more Czars, no more First Secretaries, no more Putins. Grow up, Russia.
gravenimage says
Thanks for that grim reminder, Wellington. They joined together to, among other things, eviscerate Poland.
gravenimage says
Russians Prepare Security Council Resolution Against Israel
…………………………
Russia has never believed that Jews have the right to defend themswelves.
Wellington says
The “Protocols of the Elders of Zion” serve as just one testimony of what you averred, gravenimage.
Again I assert that Russians never learn. If they did, they would have gotten rid of Putin long ago if actually allowing him in power in the first place. The invasion of Ukraine, which has so many more negatives for Russia (never mind for Ukraine and all of the West) than any positives, serves as yet another example of Russia never learning.
And there is no light at the end of this exceedingly dark tunnel. None. None whatsoever. Russia seems perpetually doomed to function in darkness of all kinds, Anyone doubting me, enlighten me, please, how I err here.
OLD GUY says
Russians are outraged at hitting civilian targets? Where has this guy been all his life? I guess there are no CIVILIANS in Ukraine. Too much VODKA.