YouSaid · the spoken record

Carmon

lines on the record: 151
first: 2006-03-30
most recent: 2010-05-31
sittings or episodes: 18
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“They have done this in the past with other terrorist groups elsewhere in the region and around the world. One must wonder about the timing of Hamas's escalation of violence and whether its purpose was not to distract the international community's attention today and this week. I reiterate Israel's determination to protect its civilians, territory, cities, towns and villages. It is what they expect from us, and it is what we must do for them. Sitting on the sidelines will only embolden the extremists and convince them that they should not stop the violence. Trying to derail the peace process is what the extremists would like us to do. Israel expects the international community and the members of the Security Council to support us in our protection of our people.”
2008-03-01 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5847 (2008) · source
“We will continue our fight against terrorism. There should be no doubt in our minds that Hamas's true vision is the extermination of the State of Israel, and not to live peacefully side by side with us. It does not even seek to restore normalcy for the sake of the people of Gaza. It is thus unfortunate that the Palestinian Observer tonight, as has been the case in the past, does not recognize that Hamas bears sole responsibility for the violence. Once again, the word Hamas was not mentioned even once in his address. I think that says it all. Hamas's vision for the failure of the moderates is a vision shared by some States in our region - including Iran and Syria - who are sitting behind the scenes, orchestrating and supporting Hamas's terrorism against Israel.”
2008-03-01 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5847 (2008) · source
“That is a war crime - there is no other way to describe it - against both Israelis and Palestinians. We heard the term war crimes here today in the Chamber. May I suggest to the Palestinian Observer that he divert that term - or accusation - to the Hamas terrorist group, which brutally took over the Gaza Strip a few months ago, in what the Palestinian Authority leadership itself called a coup. If they answer your phone, my distinguished colleague, you can tell them something about war crimes, as well as much of what you told the Council this evening. The address is there: Hamas. The Palestinians in Gaza are victims of Hamas's regime of terror. It is not only Israelis. We are all being held hostage by Hamas, the real and only occupier of Gaza, through its terror. This situation is 08-25715 unacceptable. We do not accept it.”
2008-03-01 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5847 (2008) · source
“That is all it takes before the rocket slams into their lives, their homes, hospitals, kindergartens, schools, and playgrounds - and their lives are destroyed forever. There is only one way to describe the activity of Hamas against Israel: it is plain and blunt terrorism. Hamas is a terrorist group backed by Member States of this world body. It is an organization that denies the very basic principles set by the international community itself: cessation of hostilities, cessation of terrorist acts, recognition of Israel and abiding by previous agreements between Israel and the Palestinians. Hamas not only seeks to kill Israelis; it has no concern for its own civilians. It fires rockets from populated civilian areas, using their civilians as human shields.”
2008-03-01 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5847 (2008) · source
“The members of the Council can see the many letters we have sent this week alone expressing our alarm and concern about Hamas attacks and reiterating our determination to protect our people. That is our right. That is the right of all States, to act in self- defence in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter of 08-25715 the United Nations. That is our duty. That is our obligation to our people. I ask the members of the Security Council: Would it not be yours, too? No responsible Member State would sit back in silence and do nothing as its citizens and territory were under constant attack. They would not be idle as the alarms in Sderot - and now Ashkelon - blared "colour red!, colour redl", giving Israeli civilians less than 15 seconds - 15 seconds of terror.”
2008-03-01 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5847 (2008) · source
“On the contrary, in the past week since Hamas failed to organize a provocative demonstration in Gaza - a failure that might be seen as weakness - it has dramatically escalated its rocket attacks and upgraded its capability in its attacks against our people: Grad missiles, Katyusha rockets, mortar shells and Qassams. Since Wednesday, more than 150 rockets have been fired at Israel, dozens in the past 24 hours alone. As I speak now, more than a quarter of a million Israeli citizens are in the range of the deadly and murderous weapons of Hamas - care of Hamas, its backers in the region and their malicious vision. The Government of Israel should thus not apologize for protecting its citizens. We have addressed this situation for a very long time.”
2008-03-01 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5847 (2008) · source
“Two days ago - and as a matter of fact, a few minutes ago in his statement - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned Hamas's rocket fire against Israel and called on Hamas and other terrorist and militant groups to cease all acts of violence and terrorism. He also called on Israel to exercise maximum restraint. Israel has exercised that restraint for many months now - this in spite of the constant firing of rockets and mortar shells on our towns and villages in southern Israel every single hour and every single day and in spite of Hamas's attempt to carry out terrorist attacks wherever it can target and kill an Israeli. While Israel has been showing restraint, Hamas has shown no intention of ceasing its vicious attacks.”
2008-03-01 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5847 (2008) · source
“Israel recognizes that it is the duty of all States, first and foremost, to protect their own civilians from all harm. Equally important is the obligation of all States to ensure that attacks are not launched from their own sovereign territory. But the failure to hold terrorist groups accountable, as well as those States which provide safe haven and refuge for them, will only encourage the extremists to increase their abuse and manipulation.”
2007-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5781Resumption1 (2007) · source
“Thirdly and lastly, the issue of refugees in any situation of armed conflict is but one issue among many. That is equally true for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel and the Palestinians have already agreed to discuss that outstanding issue as part of the overall settlement of the conflict in its entirety. My delegation strongly feels that it is incorrect to isolate one issue in armed conflict and that doing so could entail prejudging an outcome that should be left for the parties to determine themselves. The international community's vigilance in protecting civilians, particularly in cases where States are negligent, must not wane. Choosing to deal with those situations now could save the lives of countless civilians.”
2007-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5781Resumption1 (2007) · source
“Here, it is crucial to highlight that the closing of crossing points is invariably a result of rocket and mortar fire by Palestinian terrorists, supported by the illegitimate Hamas leadership in the Gaza Strip, against the very crossing points that are used to supply the Palestinians themselves with food and other essential supplies. My delegation wishes to underscore that, under international humanitarian law, the right to free movement of humanitarian personnel is subject to military necessities and security considerations, among them the safety of the humanitarian personnel themselves and the need to prevent the abuse of humanitarian channels. In that regard, we find the report's presentation regarding free access incomplete and legally questionable.”
2007-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5781Resumption1 (2007) · source
“Rather, the opposite is true: the principle of proportionality refers to an overall assessment of incidental loss of life or injury to civilians in relation to the goals of the military campaign. Secondly, as called for in the report of the Secretary-General, the safety and access of humanitarian personnel must be ensured. Israel strongly supports the work of humanitarian agencies that provide essential services on the ground and stresses that their vital efforts must not be hampered. However, we must also not ignore the fact that terrorists often abuse access privileges, which greatly endangers humanitarian workers and obstructs the movement of aid.”
2007-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5781Resumption1 (2007) · source
“The principle raises a number of questions regarding its scope and application and, as correctly noted in the Final Report to the Prosecutor by the Committee Established to Review the NATO Bombing Campaign Against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, "the answers to these questions are not simple". The same Report notes further: "It may be necessary to resolve them on a case by case basis, and the answers may differ depending on the background and values of the decision maker. It is unlikely that a human rights lawyer and an experienced combat commander would assign the same relative values to military advantage and to injury to noncombatants". Clearly, the language used in the report of the Secretary-General in addressing the issue of proportionality in armed conflict does not reflect a position widely held by the international community.”
2007-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5781Resumption1 (2007) · source
“In Lebanon, Hizbullah stored its rockets inside homes and launched attacks from positions nestled within the fabric of civilian life and in proximity to places of worship and hospitals. In the Gaza Strip, Palestinian terrorists firing Qassam rockets employ similar methods. Additionally, in the Gaza Strip, we have witnessed violence against Israel accompanied by intra-Palestinian violence, with a deliberate disregard for the rights of civilians, including incidents of abduction, torture and execution, and attacks against hospitals and media institutions. Regarding the report of the Secretary-General, I wish to comment specifically on three main issues of concern. First, the principle of proportionality under international humanitarian law, as referred to in the report, has no clear definition.”
2007-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5781Resumption1 (2007) · source
“The report of the Secretary-General rightfully notes that terrorist groups "have resorted to strategies that flagrantly violate international humanitarian law, such as deliberate attacks against civilians, including suicide bombings, as well as hostage-taking and intentional placement of combatants and other military objectives amid civilian infrastructure" (S/2007/643, para. 7). Regrettably, however, the report fails to describe that phenomenon for what it truly is: terrorism. That blatant disregard by terrorists for the sanctity of human life is a brutal maliciousness we have seen even among their own populations. Abuse, manipulation and the endangerment of civilians are at the heart of the terrorists' modus operandi and tactics.”
2007-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5781Resumption1 (2007) · source
“My delegation takes note of the sixth report of the Secretary-General on the protection of civilians in armed conflict (S/2007/643). However, we wish to place on record our strong reservations and concerns regarding several elements in the report that, in our view, mistakenly portray certain rules of international law and offer a misguided picture of the conflict in our region. In the interest of time, I will be brief and thus refer delegations to the full statement that is being circulated. The statement can also be found on our Mission's website. A snapshot of conflicts around the world reminds us of the growing threats to civilian life and security triggered by forces of extremism and instability.”
2007-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5781Resumption1 (2007) · source
“It is impossible to refer to any situation giving only one side, and this is true for all conflicts in the world. In our region, for example, just yesterday alone, there were three major security violations by Palestinian terrorists, one of which resulted in the cold- blooded murder of an Israeli citizen in the West Bank. When Israel raises concerns regarding its security, they are not theoretical. The threats to Israeli life from Palestinian terrorism are dangerous and lethal, and they demand that Israel take measures in self-defence - as any responsible Government would do. That said, Israel works with the United Nations here at Headquarters and on the ground to ensure 07-60635 humanitarian access to civilians in need and will continue to do so.”
2007-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5781Resumption1 (2007) · source
“Mr. President, allow me to congratulate you on your able stewardship of the Council this month and to thank you for convening this important thematic debate. I also wish to thank the Secretary-General for his statement and to extend our compliments to Under-Secretary-General Holmes for the ongoing humanitarian work being carried out on the ground by him and by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. At the outset, however, it is important to fill in some of the missing pieces that, to our disappointment, were absent from the Under-Secretary-General's briefing this morning. He described the situation in the Gaza Strip as if there are only Palestinian hardships, but no Palestinian terrorism - the very reason for the closures and restrictions in the first place.”
2007-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5781Resumption1 (2007) · source
“It is therefore baffling that a respected ambassador could even insinuate a comparison between the terrorist criminals serving their terms in an Israeli prison and the abducted Israeli soldiers, whose conditions and whereabouts are unknown. There can be no equation of the plight of the Israeli soldiers kidnapped by Hizbollah with that of the terrorists arrested for and convicted of acts of terror or that of those detained as a result of the hostilities.”
2007-08-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5736Resumption1 (2007) · source
“Secondly, for a good reason, resolution 1701 (2006), as well as the report (S/2007/392) of the Secretary-General on its implementation, do not make an equation between the abducted Israeli soldiers and Hizbollah terrorists. In fact, those terrorists are in good condition and receive the appropriate care reserved for detainees as a consequence of war. They have also been accorded standard due process. That includes visits by the Red Cross and other agencies, appropriate medical care, contacts with their families and so on. Yet, nothing is known of the abducted Israeli soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser.”
2007-08-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5736Resumption1 (2007) · source
“Indeed, one of those terrorists is Samir Kuntar, who in 1979 landed a rubber boat off the coast of Nahariya, a city on the northern coast of Israel, and carried out a vicious terror attack on the Haran family. Samir Kuntar shot the father, Danny Haran, in the head, and smashed the daughter's head with his rifle. The mother of the family, Smadar Haran, who was hiding under a crawlspace with her infant daughter, smothered her baby while trying to keep her quiet and save their lives. Men like Samir Kuntar are not simple prison detainees; they are murderous terrorists who, if not in a prison cell, would continue to intimidate, maim and murder Israelis. Full-fledged due process of law was carried out. Samir Kuntar and the others in the group were lawfully accused and convicted for their crimes.”
2007-08-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5736Resumption1 (2007) · source
“In that connection, I am referring in particular to the respectable Lebanese Ambassador's statement earlier today, where he referred to Israel's refusal - in the context of the Secretary-General's appointment of a facilitator in the matter of the abducted Israeli soldiers - to "solve the long-standing issue of the Lebanese detainees who have been ageing in Israeli prisons for decades". (S/PV.5736, (Resumption Z)) First, those detainees are not innocent bystanders languishing in Israeli prisons; rather, they are murderous terrorists with blood on their hands who have very cruelly and unjustly taken the lives of innocent Israelis in terror attacks over the years.”
2007-08-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5736Resumption1 (2007) · source
“I would like to thank the members of the Security Council for their patience. I would like for a moment to briefly clarify for the record an important factual matter referred to earlier today. However, I wish first to underscore that my delegation values the time and patience of the members of the Council. As such, we will not respond to the aggressive and offensive anti-Israel rhetoric used by the representatives of some Member States, in particular - and not surprisingly so - that of the representatives of Syria and Iran. That rhetoric was offensive not only to Israel, but also to the Security Council. The matter I would like to raise is one of facts and substance.”
2007-08-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5736Resumption1 (2007) · source
“Israel is committed to working with regional and international partners to address these challenges in our region. Israel believes that by addressing climate and energy issues in appropriate forums, the international community can constrain the effects that these issues may have on peace and security.”
2007-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5663Resumption1 (2007) · source
“As just one example, the 1994 Israel-Jordan peace treaty stipulated terms for cooperative usage of water and other materials from the Jordan River basin. For so many years, water was perceived as a source of tension and conflict. But as shown, water can also be a source of harmony and peace. As part of the global efforts to address the challenges I have just mentioned, Israel is conducting extensive research and development programmes and is developing the appropriate technologies. Considering the shared nature of energy resource conditions and environmental challenges throughout our region, Israel has planned for additional cooperative programmes and is participating in a regional desalinization centre and a project combating desertification and promoting afforestation.”
2007-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5663Resumption1 (2007) · source
“Furthermore, as recent scientific research shows, these factors are complicated and further threatened by climate change. The international community must cooperate in researching and developing renewable and alternative energy resources for the betterment of all societies. Mitigation efforts and adaptation to climate change will enable us to work together in synergy to promote sustainable practices. In this regard, Israel looks forward to the coming fifteenth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development and future forums dealing with sustainable development, climate and other related issues. Moreover, Israel has also shown the viability of cooperation with regard to resources, in particular those that are scarce in our region.”
2007-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5663Resumption1 (2007) · source
“Vulnerable areas around the world are even more susceptible to these issues. Governments and other players can use the tools in their hands for the benefit of mankind, but these tools can also be misused. There is no doubt that the security of these regions relates directly to, among other things, the commodity of energy resources and their availability. History has shown that competition between States seeking to satisfy energy needs can instigate conflict, particularly in regions where tensions already exist. It is not only the potential scarcity of oil and gas and other traditional energy resources that can drive conflict. Access to water, food and fertile soil, population movements and border disputes all must be factored in as well.”
2007-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5663Resumption1 (2007) · source
“Mr. President, allow me, at the outset, to commend you on your leadership of the Council during this month of April and on convening this important debate. Israel believes that the issues relating to energy, security and climate are closely linked and are vital to the promotion and sustainability of peace and security throughout the world. Energy plays a critical role in our society. Adequate and affordable energy has always been central to economic development. Historically, access to energy resources enabled the shift from agricultural economies to modern industrial and service-based economies. But energy is not merely essential to achieving development goals. It is necessary for basic and decent living. At the same time, however, energy adversely affects the climate.”
2007-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5663Resumption1 (2007) · source
“For its part, Israel has made significant progress in aligning itself with the highest international standards in the field of exports control on sensitive items, including dual-use items, by adopting into Israeli law the various lists of the supplier regimes, namely, those of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the Australia Group and the Wassenaar Arrangement. Furthermore, Israel maintains a continuous dialogue with the various regimes and with relevant States, with the aim of improving control over facilities and items at the highest level. We hope that all States will act in accordance with resolution 1540 (2004). True implementation of the resolution could contribute to a safer world. For its part, Israel is fully committed to it.”
2007-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5635Resumption1 (2007) · source
“It is particularly relevant when the presence of sophisticated weaponry in the hands of terrorists has proven to have strategic implications. In that context, it should be noted that rockets of various ranges can serve as a means to launch chemical and biological weapons. The transfer of such rockets to 07-24825 non-State actors - in particular to terrorists - is therefore already a violation of paragraphs 1 and 2 of resolution 1540 (2004). That violation has clearly been demonstrated by the uranium supplied to the Hizbollah terrorist organization, as witnessed recently in Lebanon.”
2007-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5635Resumption1 (2007) · source
“Resolution 1540 (2004) and its full implementation represent important progress in our joint struggle to prevent the realization of that terrifying scenario. The International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism is yet another significant step forward in that context. The commitment of Member States to prevent any cooperation with terrorists and terrorist organizations attempting to acquire or develop weapons of mass destruction, and the commitment to set clear and strong standards for monitoring dual-use types of items, are vital tools in our efforts. Moreover, we are of the view that some components of that important resolution can also be relevant to the prevention of transfer of conventional arms to terrorists.”
2007-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5635Resumption1 (2007) · source
“At the outset, allow me to express our gratitude to you, Sir, for your able stewardship of the Council this month and to commend you for convening this debate. Israel was a strong supporter of the adoption of Security Council resolution 1540 (2004). The resolution is, in our opinion, a significant step towards the consolidation and implementation of international standards against the threats of international terrorism. It is also, of course, an important step in support of the international effort against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The possibility that weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery could fall into the hands of terrorists and the threat of unmonitored transfer of sensitive items have become, in recent years, one of the worst nightmares of the international community.”
2007-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5635Resumption1 (2007) · source
“Israelis, Lebanese and Palestinians all deserve better. They deserve to see real efforts in our region. Recent developments in the past month show what will happen if we refuse to engage moderates and allow extremists to cast their dark shadows of influence. We must join hands in fighting extremism and radicalism, incitement and intolerance, terrorism and hate. Only then will the parties find themselves on the road to peace - a road wide enough for all citizens of the Middle East - resulting in the revitalization and fulfilment of real peace in our region.”
2006-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5584 (2006) · source
“President, a partner is one who will at least abide by the very basic fundamental conditions set forth by the international community itself. Direct negotiations with partners willing to make concessions, as Israel has already demonstrated in the historic peace made with two of its neighbours, is the only way forward. As the Secretary-General said in his statement this morning, "it is the parties involved who bear the primary responsibility for peace. No one can make peace for them, impose peace on them, or want peace more than they do". I hope that the moderates in our region understand what needs to be done in order for peace to be realized, and where the real threat to our region lies. There have been far too many victims in this conflict- Victims from both sides, neither of which has a monopoly on that status or on human suffering.”
2006-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5584 (2006) · source
“It is not to find forums that allow abuse of the automatic vote. It is not to construct a one-sided narrative in which only side, Israel, has obligations, while the other side, the Palestinians, have only inalienable rights. Those venues, sometimes hosted by the United Nations, simply show that they are good only for highlighting differences, not for resolving them. If we have not yet turned the Vision of peace into reality, it is not for lack of meetings in this Council or the Assembly. It is not for lack of agreements or resolutions or international conferences. It is simply for the lack of an appropriate partner on the other side to confront the seeds of extremism and embrace moderation. In answer to your question, Mr.”
2006-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5584 (2006) · source
“It can bring stability to the region, but in order for that to happen, our kidnapped soldiers Udi Goldwasser and Eldad Regev must be released immediately and unconditionally. An active and efficient United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon is also needed, as is the full deployment of the Lebanese army over all its territory. The arms embargo must be enforced and the border with Syria must be monitored for trafficking. Secretary-General Annan has made it a personal campaign to support the full implementation of resolution 1701 (2006), and we trust that the incoming Secretary-General will continue such efforts. We understand that engaging in our region does not come without frustrations, but the solution is not to bypass essential steps in order to create the illusion of progress.”
2006-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5584 (2006) · source
“Weapons have also been and are still continuously smuggled into Gaza. Corporal Gilad Shalit was kidnapped by Palestinian terrorists and is still being deprived of his freedom. Those are not overtures of peace and moderation. These are the overtures of terror and extremism. The ceasefire two weeks ago was once again a sign of our willingness to try our hand at peace. Israel wishes to maintain the ceasefire as a means to end the Violence and enable progress in political negotiations. For that reason, Israel is exercising restraint and maintaining the ceasefire despite repeated violations by Palestinian terrorists. Our commitment to peace is also the reason why resolution 1701 (2006) must be fully implemented in southern Lebanon. The full implementation of resolution 1701 (2006) remains a test for this Council.”
2006-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5584 (2006) · source
“The formula for peace has already been prescribed. It is found in the road map and in various forums of the international community, some of which the United Nations itself is part of. At its very heart is the principle of two States, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security. That vision has been consistently reaffirmed over the years, particularly in the past few months, by Israel's leadership. Sadly, however, the Vision remains unmatched on the Palestinian side. Israel embarked on the painful course of disengagement from the Gaza Strip last year to show the Palestinians its commitment to peace. In return for disengagement, we received terror. Over the past year, more than 1,000 Qassam rockets and mortar shells have been fired by Palestinian terrorists at southern Israeli communities and towns.”
2006-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5584 (2006) · source
“Iran's denial of the Holocaust, its pursuit of nuclear weaponry, and its strategic backing of Hamas and Hizbollah - and who knows what next? - threaten peace and security. Iran cannot and will not rewrite history. It cannot deny the Holocaust, yet it remains the duty of the international community to make sure that those extremists do not write the world's future and the future of our children. The international community must, then, do more than convene repeat debates and initiatives. It must make it abundantly clear throughout the region that supporting coexistence is what is needed, while supporting terror has its price. Being soft on the extremists and placating them in exchange for insincere commitments will not buy us their patience or even their compliance. It will merely guarantee their triumph.”
2006-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5584 (2006) · source
“It is with particular indignation that, as we sit here in this Council, on the other side of the world - on our side of the world - in Iran, in a country whose President has threatened to wipe another Member State off the map, we hear of a conference under way with its own "experts and scholars", concluding that the Holocaust never happened. As offensive as this is to the State of Israel and to the Jewish people, it must be equally as appalling to the States Members of this world body, whose founding principle and noble mission were the world's answer to the horrors and extremism of the Second World War and the tragedy of the Holocaust, as reflected in the very first clauses of the United Nations Charter.”
2006-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5584 (2006) · source
“Without meeting the three conditions, the Palestinian Authority will continue to support violence and terror, not peace and prosperity. The vast difference between those voices is also the reason why the international community must insist on the full implementation of resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1701 (2006). Without fully ensuring the end of Hizbollah's State within a State, the region will remain in danger of extremist influence. The vast difference between those voices is the same reason why the international community cannot tolerate a nuclear Iran.”
2006-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5584 (2006) · source
“We have a strategic depth here in the Islamic Republic of Iran and throughout the Islamic Arab world." Let us listen to what the First Vice-President of Iran, ParViz Davoudi, told Prime Minister Haniyeh during the same visit: "The Iranian Government and nation will continue their all-out support for the Palestinian Government led by Hamas." Now let us listen to the other voices in our region, telling Palestinians and Israelis to return to the negotiating table in order to guarantee security and stability for the people of the region. The vast difference between those voices is precisely the reason why we must insist on the international community's three conditions for Hamas to recognize Israel, renounce Violence and abide by previous agreements.”
2006-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5584 (2006) · source
“Unless the international community is willing to stand up and confront the enemies of peace, progress will never be made, no matter how much we yearn for peace, no matter what we are willing to sacrifice for it. The extremist-moderate divide can be heard in the different voices in our region. Let us listen to what the Hamas Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said while visiting Iran a few days ago: "We will never recognize the Zionist Government and will continue our jihad-like movement until the liberation of Jerusalem.”
2006-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5584 (2006) · source
“The analysis of events in the Middle East offered by Member States and heard in statements delivered in this world body tends to be misleading. Symptoms are routinely mistaken for causes, and decisions are made based on rhetoric rather than reality. The Israeli- Palestinian conflict is erroneously identified by some as the source of all instability in our region. And yet, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is actually the consequence - not the cause - of extremism and radicalism, of incitement and intolerance, of hate and terrorism, all poisoning our region. Our region - our world - is challenged by warring ideologies. It is no surprise then that the road to peace runs directly through the battlefield, between moderates and extremists.”
2006-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5584 (2006) · source
“I wish to begin by thanking the Secretary-General for addressing us this morning, and by taking this opportunity to make mention of his 10 years of service, specifically as it pertains to our region. It is, of course, impossible in the allotted time to fully reflect on the Secretary-General's legacy. Nonetheless, I want to thank him for his many years of dedication to this Organization and to the nations of the world. Allow me to commend the Secretary-General on his remarks this morning, where he comprehensively addressed the conflicts in our region in an unbiased, balanced manner, turning to both sides constructively - which, I must add, is not a traditional narrative we hear at the United Nations and its various organs, as the Secretary-General himself has stated. We offer him our deepest appreciation.”
2006-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5584 (2006) · source
“Prime Minister Olmert reasserted that position in his remarks just last week: "All we can do today is prevent further tragedies and bequeath to the younger generation a bright horizon and hope for life." Let us hope that all sides will keep to their commitments identified within the ceasefire and that an authentic Palestinian partner will emerge from it, dedicated to the vision and cause of peace.”
2006-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5577Resumption1 (2006) · source
“06-6406] But we must see to it as well that the underlying tensions of the conflict and Hamas's disregard for its internationally accepted obligations - recognition of Israel, renouncing violence and terror, and abiding by previous agreements - are addressed. The past few months have been difficult, with difficulties levied particularly on civilians, but the past cannot be changed and the victims of the conflict cannot be returned. What remains is the course we chart together for the future.”
2006-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5577Resumption1 (2006) · source
“It is an obligation which Israel embraces. No doubt, strategic and ethical complexities regarding counter-terrorism exist; we addressed Israel's perspective on the issue when we last spoke before the Council on this subject. But in the quest to secure our world and protect all peoples, we must strike the proper balance. Failure to hold terrorist groups accountable gravely endangers the vitality of the human project and will only encourage them to increase their abuse, manipulation and exploitation of civilians. The ceasefire in our region, initiated and agreed upon by Prime Minister Olmert and Chairman Abbas one week ago, is a sign of promise for all citizens of the region - all civilians, no matter their nationality.”
2006-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5577Resumption1 (2006) · source
“Recently, Palestinian civilians in Gaza were specifically called to surround the home of a known terrorist. Human Rights Watch recorded the incident, declaring that "[c]alling civilians to a location that the opposing side has identified for attack is at worst human shielding, at best failing to take all feasible precautions to protect civilians from the effects of attack. Both are violations of international humanitarian law". The deliberate blurring of the distinction between terrorist and civilian is a terrorist tactic. It is a gross injustice that endangers civilians and betrays the principles of human dignity and life. It is the obligation of all nations first and foremost to protect their people from all harm, but it is also the obligation of all nations to ensure that they and their citizens not endanger others.”
2006-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5577Resumption1 (2006) · source
“Similarly, the relentless Qassam rockets fired by Palestinian terrorists in the Gaza Strip at Israeli communities in the South within the past year - more than 1,000 rockets to date - were all direct and targeted attempts on the lives of civilians, attacks against schools and synagogues, kindergartens and classrooms, shopping malls and playgrounds. The blatant disregard of terrorists for the value of human life is a brutal maliciousness that we have seen even among their own populations. Hizbollah stored its rockets inside homes and launched attacks from positions nestled within the fabric of civilian life. In using civilians as human shields, Hizbollah sought to evade responsibility and accountability for its crimes. Palestinian terrorists, too, have employed civilians as shields.”
2006-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5577Resumption1 (2006) · source
“In recent months, we have been reminded of the vulnerability of and danger posed to civilians in our region by forces of extremism and instability, as evidenced by the conflict with Hizbollah in Lebanon and the ongoing Palestinian terror war against Israel. We have been reminded again that no side has a monopoly on victimhood or human suffering, and that the jagged shards of armed conflict can cut deep and wide, affecting all civilians - Israeli, Lebanese and Palestinian. Over the summer, Hizbollah terrorists operating in southern Lebanon fired some 4,000 Katyusha rockets into northern Israel, explicitly targeting civilians in their homes and places of work. Hizbollah's onslaught of raining rockets forced nearly 1 million Israeli civilians to flee their homes, causing insufferable damage to civilian life and infrastructure.”
2006-12-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5577Resumption1 (2006) · source