The United Nations has figured out that there was no massacre in Jenin. The technical response is "Duh." The best part of the story, though?
The United Nations report, attributed to Secretary General Kofi Annan, was largely based on published accounts and descriptions by humanitarian groups and other organizations, because Israel blocked the United Nations from conducting a first-hand inquiry unanimously sought by the Security Council. Israeli officials said they had feared an investigation by the United Nations would be biased.So it took them months to photocopy newspaper articles and human rights groups' press releases? (Aren't you glad that the United Nations always badgers the United States for more money?) Yet another demonstration of the spectacular irrelevance of the organization.
But don't hold your breath waiting for an apology or retraction from those who claimed that there was a massacre. Perhaps there's a lesson here about not jumping to conclusions (that's my job) based on rumors and unverified assertions. The real question is why people were so quick to believe the accusations against Israel. (Need I ask?)