Measures to eliminate international terrorism – Letter from Israel

Letter dated 8 October 2001 from the Permanent Representative of Israel

to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

I wish to draw your attention to the latest incident in the ongoing Palestinian campaign of terrorism directed against Israel.

Yesterday morning, at approximately 8.15 a.m. (local time), Yair Mordechai, age 44, was returning to Kibbutz Shluhot when he spotted a suspicious-looking Palestinian by the side of the road. When Mordechai pulled over to question him, the terrorist detonated an explosive he was wearing on his belt. The blast killed Mordechai and completely destroyed his vehicle.

The murder of Yair Mordechai is the latest attack in an ongoing Palestinian terrorist campaign that has been detailed in my letters dated 5 October 2001 (A/56/444-S/2001/943), 3 October 2001 (A/56/438-S/2001/938), 24 September 2001 (A/56/406-S/2001/907), 20 September 2001 (A/56/386-S/2001/892), 17 September 2001 (A/56/367-S/2001/875), 7 September 2001 (A/56/346-S/2001/858), 4 September 2001 (A/56/331-S/2001/840), 30 August 2001 (A/56/325-S/2001/834), 27 August 2001 (A/56/324-S/2001/825), 13 August 2001 (A/56/294-S/2001/787), 9 August 2001 (A/56/272-S/2001/768), 27 July 2001 (A/56/225-S/2001/743), 26 July 2001 (A/56/223-S/2001/737), 17 July 2001 (A/56/201-S/2001/706), 13 July 2001 (A/56/184-S/2001/696), 3 July 2001 (A/56/138-S/2001/662), 21 June 2001 (A/56/119-S/2001/619), 19 June 2001 (A/56/98-S/2001/611), 18 June 2001 (A/56/97-S/2001/604), 13 June 2001 (A/56/92-S/2001/585), 11 June 2001 (A/56/91-S/2001/580), 4 June 2001 (A/56/85-S/2001/555), 30 May 2001 (A/56/81-S/2001/540), 25 May 2001 (A/56/80-S/2001/524), 18 May 2001 (A/56/78-S/2001/506), 11 May 2001 (A/56/72-S/2001/473), 9 May 2001 (A/56/69-S/2001/459), 1 May 2001 (A/55/924-S/2001/435), 23 April 2001 (A/55/910-S/2001/396), 16 April 2001 (A/55/901-S/2001/364), 28 March 2001 (A/55/863-S/2001/291), 27 March 2001 (A/55/860-S/2001/280), 26 March 2001 (A/55/858-S/2001/278), 19 March 2001 (A/55/842-S/2001/244), 5 March 2001 (A/55/821-S/2001/193), 2 March 2001 (A/55/819-S/2001/187), 14 February 2001 (A/55/787-S/2001/137), 13 February 2001 (A/55/781-S/2001/132), 2 February 2001 (A/55/762-S/2001/103), 25 January 2001 (A/55/748-S/2001/81), 23 January 2001 (A/55/742-S/2001/71), 28 December 2000 (A/55/719-S/2000/1252), 22 November 2000 (A/55/641-S/2000/1114), 20 November 2000 (A/55/634-S/2000/1108) and 2 November 2000 (A/55/540-S/2000/1065)

The State of Israel holds chairman Arafat and the Palestinian leadership responsible for this attack in the light of their unending incitement to violence and terrorism, their support and assistance for known terrorist groups, and their refusal to take sustained and concrete measures to end terrorism against Israelis. The Palestinian leadership has also encouraged terrorism by releasing convicted terrorists from prison, assisting them in carrying out their deadly missions, and providing them with safe harbour in Palestinian-controlled territory.

Despite Chairman Arafat’s recent call for a ceasefire, attacks against Israeli civilians have escalated in recent days. The Palestinian leadership’s preference for words over actions, its failure to take measures to impede the freedom of terrorists operating in the territory under its control, and its continuing use of the official Palestinian media to incite the population are directly responsible for the failure of the ceasefire.

Israel again calls on the Palestinian leadership to adhere to its commitment to renounce the use of violence and terrorism and to control and punish those who continue to engage in such practices. Israel further calls on the international community to compel the Palestinian Authority to associate itself, in both word and deed, with those actively opposing terrorism by preventing Palestinian territory from being used as a base for terror operations.

I should be grateful if you would arrange to have the text of the present letter circulated as a document of the fifty-sixth session of the General Assembly, under agenda item 166, and of the Security Council.

(Signed) Yehuda Lancry

Permanent Representative