RUTHFULLY YOURS

Now that Israel is fighting back against the rocket-launching Iranian-backed terrorists of Gaza, the United Nations has swung into a frenzy of activity, calling for immediate measures to stop the violence and end the crisis. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has rushed to the Middle East, the High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay is firing off press releases to say she is “appalled” and “extremely concerned.” The Security Council has held an emergency closed meeting … and so on.

What a contrast to the UN response earlier this year, when for month after month, the terrorists of Hamas-controlled Gaza fired rockets into Israel, and while Israel complied with the UN’s demands for “restraint,” Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Ron Prosor ^[1], pleaded with the Security Council to condemn the terrorist assaults on his country.

Prosor sent letter after letter to the Security Council, asking that the Council, the UN’s leading body for addressing matters of armed aggression, speak with one voice to condemn the terrorist attacks out of Gaza. This was evidently not a story of much interest to the international press; nor, it seems, was it a crisis of any interest to the UN Security Council. It does provides some illuminating background, however, on the run-up to the current crisis, and on the priorities of the UN (more on that in my article on The UN Tilt to Terrorists ^[2]).

For the record, here are some brief excerpts from some of the letters Israel’s Ambassador Prosor sent earlier this year to the Security Council, some of them sent also to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

February 27, 2012

Since I last wrote to you, ten days ago, ten more rockets have been fired from the Gaza Strip into Israeli communities.

Ten days. Ten rockets. Not one word of condemnation from the Security Council.

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March 13, 2012

More than 75 rockets have been fired into Israeli communities from Gaza in the past day. More than 250 rockets have been fired since last Friday. That’s one rocket every twenty minutes…

Yet, the Security Council has uttered zero words of condemnation of these attacks… It is time for the Security Council to speak with one voice against the terrorism that continues to flow from Gaza.

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May 10, 2012 (this was not a letter, but part of a statement to the Security Council)

In southern Israel, terrorists from Gaza — sponsored by Iran — continue to rain down rockets on 1 million Israeli civilians. One rocket that explodes in the wrong place at the wrong time could ignite a dangerous escalation in our region. Yet the Council has not condemned the rocket fire. It has not uttered a single word.

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June 21, 2012

As I write this letter, rockets continue to rain down on the people of Southern Israel. In the past three days, Hamas and other terrorists in Gaza have fired more than 120 rockets into the heart of Israeli homes, cities, and communities. On the night of 19 June 2012. four Israeli soldiers were injured in a rocket attack, one seriously… The Council has a duty to raise its voice above the roar of the rockets that continues to come out of the Gaza Strip.

The international community also has a clear responsibility to prevent the illicit flow of arms into Gaza — a key aspect of resolution 1860 ^[3] that receives hardly any attention.

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June 25, 2012 ^[4]

Since my last letter four days ago, 87 more rockets were fired into Israeli communities.

We see the same reality, month after month: as aid flows into Gaza, rockets fly out.

The Security Council has not uttered a single syllable about this appalling terrorism.

Caution: The Security Council’s decision to stay mute could have grave consequences.

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August 29, 2012

Another day. Another rocket. Not one word from the Security Council.

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August 31, 2012

While Israel’s schoolchildren were taking cover in bomb shelters, the UN released yet another biased report about Gaza… How many more rockets must fall on the children of Israel before the Security Council utters a syllable?

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October 24, 2012 ^[5]

As I write this letter, Hamas terrorists are firing deadly rockets into the heart of Southern Israel. In just the past day, more than 70 rockets have been launched… Life is paralyzed for one million Israelis. Parents cannot go to work — and children are not going to school.

Hamas deliberately provoked this escalation. Yesterday it detonated a bomb on Israel’s border with Gaza, severely injuring an Israeli officer. It is time for the world to take note: Hamas is determined to murder Israelis and escalate conflict in our already very turbulent region.

I call on you — and all the other Security Council members — to condemn Hamas terrorism without equivocation or delay. Hamas and other terrorists in our region will interpret the silence of the Security Council as a green light for terror and provocation.

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November 12, 2012

As I write this letter, rockets are flying into Israeli communities without pause. In the past two days, Hamas and other terrorists in Gaza have fired more than 150 rockets into our homes, schools, and cities…

The serious danger of an even greater escalation hangs over our very volatile region. Many Israeli civilians and soldiers have been injured. Damage to property has been significant…

The time for the Security Council to condemn Hamas terrorism with one voice is now, before it is too late.

The Palestinian leadership also has a fundamental responsibility to clearly condemn Hamas terrorism. The silence that continues to echo from President Abbas’ office speaks volumes.

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The Security Council did nothing.

On November 14, Israel killed Hamas military commander Ahmed al-Jabari, and launched Operation Pillar of Defense against the terrorists operating in Gaza.