By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, November 15 -- While the UN Security Council deliberated on Gaza Wednesday night, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon made two calls: to Israel's Netanyahu and Egypt's Morsi.
At Thursday's UN noon briefing, Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman about a call NOT made:
Inner City Press: calls about Gaza, maybe I missed it, but did he call Mahmoud Abbas or try to call Mahmoud Abbas, the Secretary-General?
Spokesperson Martin Nesirky: I have given you the conversations that have taken place so far.
Inner City Press: to some it seems, he is the head of the Palestinian Authority, it seems like an obvious call to make, so do you have any reasoning?
Spokesperson Nesirky: Any other suggestions, Matthew?
Inner City Press: I am just asking. Was there a reason? Did you try and you couldn’t reach him or did not try?
Spokesperson Nesirky: I think this goes back to the point that Ms. Malcorra was making in a sense. Of course, and as I just said earlier on, the Secretary-General is monitoring this extremely closely. And, of course, he is going to be reaching out to various individuals at different times. We are not going to say precisely with who and when. When these calls take place, then we will be able to let you know. And of course, you have to recognize that some individuals may be quite busy and cannot immediately take phone calls. It may be as prosaic as that. Any other questions?
But Nesirky did not allow Inner City Press, even when it asked, to pose any more questions. Later on Thursday it was reported from Israel that Ban, canceling planned trips to Mauritius and Mozambique, will next week visit Cairo, Tel Aviv and Ramallah -- but not Gaza.
Instead, Morsi has dispatched his prime minister and others to go to Gaza in solidarity.
Meanwhile, on a White House call ostensibly about President Obama's own trip next week to Thailand, Cambodia and Burma / Myanmar, the Administration pledged full support to Israel's right to self defense, answering that the use of ground troops in Gaza is up to the Israelis.
Like Ban Ki-moon, the US prefers de-escalation but says it is entirely or only up to Hamas.
Click here for Inner City Press' coverage yesterday of Egypt requesting the Security Council meeting before the Palestinian mission did, and the struggle for power and representation. Here is Palestine's draft resolution to become a non-member State of the UN. Watch this site.
