Identical letters dated 1 August 2014 from the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council
Earlier today, in a blatant violation of a humanitarian ceasefire, Hamas killed two soldiers and kidnapped a third, Hadar Goldin. The attack took place just an hour and a half after the ceasefire went into effect.
While Israel agreed to this ceasefire to allow humanitarian relief for the people of Gaza, Hamas agreed so that it could plan and carry out an attack and kidnap a soldier. Hamas used one of its terror tunnels to perpetrate a suicide bombing which killed two Israelis. This attack was a diversion that allowed terrorists to kidnap Hadar Goldin.
Hamas has violated all five ceasefire agreements and made it clear that it is more committed to kidnapping and murdering Israelis than ensuring the welfare of the Palestinian people. Just yesterday, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum called on Palestinians to murder Israelis by any means, saying, “Anyone with a knife, club, weapon or a car, and who does not run down a Jew or a settler, or who does not kill dozens of Zionists with these means — he does not belong to Palestine.”
Hamas has sent hundreds of suicide bombers into our cities and towns and kidnapped our children. In the last month, Hamas has also launched 3,073 rockets into Israel. How much more evidence is needed before the United Nations will finally designate Hamas as a terrorist organization and call for its disarmament?
It is time to hold Hamas accountable for its actions. It is time for the international community to stop giving Hamas a free pass and see the group for what it is — a radical Islamist terrorist organization committed to the destruction of the State of Israel.
I call on the Secretary-General and the Security Council to immediately and unequivocally:
- Clearly condemn Hamas for violating the ceasefire and preventing humanitarian assistance from reaching the people of Gaza;
- Condemn Hamas for murdering and kidnapping Israelis and call for the immediate and safe return of Hadar Goldin;
- Demand the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip;
- Designate Hamas as a terrorist organization.
I should be grateful if you would have the present letter distributed as a document of the Security Council.
(Signed) Ron Prosor
Ambassador
Permanent Representative
Document Type: Letter
Document Sources: Secretary-General, Security Council
Country: Israel
Subject: Armed conflict, Casualties, Ceasefire, Gaza Strip, Human rights and international humanitarian law, Incidents, Legal issues, Negotiations and agreements, Population, Protection, Security issues, Terrorism
Publication Date: 01/08/2014