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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Israel: US Consulate car tried to run over checkpoint guard |
| 2009-12-25 |
| A dispute is rumbling between Israel and the US Consulate in Jerusalem after a US diplomatic car allegedly tried running over a Defense Ministry security guard recently at an IDF checkpoint in the West Bank. The car had been stopped after the occupants refused to present identification papers. World Israel is also furious that one of the consulate cars was found to have transported a Palestinian without permits between Jerusalem and the West Bank. The identification of American diplomats from the consulate at IDF checkpoints has been a major sticking point for several years. In January 2008, the Civil Administration of Judea and Samaria filed complaints with the Foreign Ministry after both US Security Coordinator Lt.-Gen. Keith Dayton and then-consul-general Jacob Walles refused to roll down their windows or open their car doors and show identification papers at a checkpoint. However, Israel's ire reached a new level after an incident on November 13 in which a five-car convoy of consulate vehicles with diplomatic plates arrived at the Gilboa crossing. According to a detailed official Israel Police description of the incident obtained exclusively by The Jerusalem Post, the drivers refused to identify themselves or open a window or door. The drivers, according to the report, purposely blocked the crossing, tried running over one of the Israeli security guards stationed there and made indecent gestures at female guards. The entire incident was documented by cameras at the crossing. Some things never change---I remember incidents with US consulate cars from first Intifada. Basically, these people are Rachel Corries with diplo passports. Eventually, one of them will be dead and there will be enormous American indignation. |
| Posted by:g(r)omgoru |
| #7 Couriering Palestinians and lewd gestures are probably not part of the deal. DIPSEC and PSD agreements, secret signals, tags, nods, "...*uck you we called ahead, didn't you get the word?" ...all aside bottom line, their country, not ours. Host nation trumps all others. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-12-25 14:00 |
| #6 Stopping at a random checkpoint in a diplomatic convoy is asking to become a political statement or a hostage. Before we go blasting the State jerks or Isreal, we need to know what the agreements are with regard to diplomatic convoys and detaining them. There is an agreement. The issue usually is that properly marked Diplomatic vehicles are agreed to be allowed to bypass road blocks with a cursory check. Some police or military refuse to honor it, or just dont know about the do not detain agreements. This does not mean they get to stop the convoy and search each person and their papers, usually just the first vehicle and bypass any lines. Remember the best place to ambush a convoy is when it has stopped. Fake uniforms and roadblocks are common. I was once stopped by a traffic block driving a dip registared vehicle, they were checking ID, registration, and insurance. I gave them a copy of my papers, like our agreement says. They wanted the originals and when I said no they tried to arrest me. I locked the doors, armored cars are tough to get into. They drew their guns and ordered me out. .38 vs level 4, ha. After 20 minuted the calls came to them to apologize and let me go. The traffic cops just did not know the laws but they were still upset. To further diffuse the situation afer I went and bought the cops lunch. As friendly as I was there was no way they were getting into my vehicle, or the contents in that vehicle. |
| Posted by: 49 Pan 2009-12-25 13:33 |
| #5 Yes, this attitude predates The One- it is a problem in the State Department. But now in the era of Smart Diplomacy™, they are going to become completely insolent. Hopefully Israel will bounce a few before something bad happens. |
| Posted by: Free Radical 2009-12-25 11:39 |
| #4 Graphic of Barry giving photographer the finger please mods. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-12-25 09:15 |
| #3 "... and made indecent gestures at female guards." Yep, sounds like 0bama's deeply nuanced professional diplomatic team at work. Expel them all, and revoke their diplomatic privileges. Scum. |
| Posted by: Whiskey Mike 2009-12-25 09:10 |
| #2 Stop means STOP! What's good enough for Nicola Calipari, is good enough for these State Dept. vermin. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-12-25 08:49 |
| #1 Apparently these foggy bottom Arabists have forgotten all about their colleagues Cleo Noel and Curtis Moore, murdered by Black September goons on Arafat's orders in 1973. |
| Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy 2009-12-25 08:23 |