The UN sends a team to `urge all parties to exercise restraint.'

CNN reports that a U.N.team is heading to the Middle East to help defuse what it calls a 'major crisis'.

And if you believe that, I have a bridge I want to sell you.

A look at who's on the team and it's itinerary tells you what it's really there for - to coordinate strategy with the Arab states to demonize Israel and to try and intimidate the Israeli response to what amounts to acts of war.

The team consists of long time Israel bashers Alvaro De Soto and Terje Roed Larsen, along with Vijay Nambiar. De Soto has been involved in pressuring Israel to release tax monies to the terorrist Hamsa government and to free convicted terorists from Israeli prisons. Larsen, of course, is well known for referring to Israel's self-defense as `state terrorism' and as an advocate of the Pallywood production known as the so-called `Jenin Massacre'.

If the UN was actually interested in a fair and balanced assesment and action, these guys are definitely not the personnel to pull it off.

First stop for this intrepid group og Islamist appeasers will be Cairo to meet with Egyptian officials and consult with Arab League Foreign Ministers, who will be meeting there Saturday. Once they figure out a strategy to use against Israel they will proceed to the occupied Palestinian territories, Lebanon and Syria, with other stops added as needed.

Mr. Moderate, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said he fears a "regional war is mounting" with Israel's military campaigns in Lebanon and Gaza, where forces were deployed after last month's capture of an Israeli soldier.

"This is not our interest and will not bring peace and stability to the region," Abbas said, referring to "this [Israeli] aggression."

The European Union also weighed in, condemning Israel for using what it called "disproportionate" force. It said the blockade of Lebanon was not justified...meaning that Israel should just lay back, take the attacks on its sovereign territory in stride and allow its hostages to be shipped by Hezbollah to Iran.

"Actions, which are contrary to international humanitarian law, can only aggravate the vicious circle of violence and retribution," the EU president said, in a statement quoted by al-Reuters.

One thing the EU doesn't seem to realize...giving Israel to the jihadis isn't going to buy them any safety or consideration.

As for the UN..why bother? It's beyond hope of redemtion.