YouSaid · the spoken record

Prosor

lines on the record: 556
first: 2011-06-30
most recent: 2015-07-30
sittings or episodes: 50
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

“Instead of using them to build economic institutions, it built a terrorist regime complete with miles of underground tunnels. Finally, it seized the funding that flowed from the international community to flood Gaza with weapons. In each and every month for the past nine years, Hamas has fired rockets towards Israeli towns and cities. Over time, it has expanded its arsenal of rockets from a few hundred to thousands. The weapons it has today are more sophisticated and can reach further into Israel than ever before. Every few years, Hamas escalates its attacks by launching a massive offensive. In 2008, over the course of three weeks Hamas fired 800 rockets that could reach a million Israelis living in the area near Gaza. In 2012, Hamas fired 1,200 rockets in a single week that could reach 3.5 million Israelis in southern and central Israel.”
2014-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7220 (2014) · source
“In the process, the world watched as we uprooted thousands of families from their homes and dismantled their businesses. When we were done, there was not a soldier, not a settler and not a single Israeli left. All we left behind were greenhouses and other structures that would develop the Gaza economy and allow the Palestinian people to build a peaceful society. We opened border crossings and encouraged commerce because we wanted Gaza to succeed. We hoped that this would serve as a model of two societies living side by side in peace. But it did not. Hamas used the pretense of democracy to create a militant theocracy. First, it waged a civil war against Fatah and executed its political opponents. Then it destroyed the greenhouses and businesses we left behind.”
2014-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7220 (2014) · source
“The Jewish people believe in the value oflife, while Hamas believes in the value oftaking lives. How many more Palestinians must fall victim before President Abbas finally breaks his partnership with Hamas? Abbas is the President of the unity Government that includes a murderous terrorist group. What exactly is his Government united for? Obviously, not for peace. Even as alarms sound throughout Israel, some members of the international community are sounding false alarms here in the United Nations. They told us that as soon as Israel retreated to its 1967 lines and dismantled its settlements, there would be peace. They insisted that the conflict was fueled by the so- called occupation. Occupation? Does no one remember anything? In 2005, when I headed Israel's foreign service, Israel turned every inch of Gaza over to the Palestinians.”
2014-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7220 (2014) · source
“Israel has been faced with a choice that no nation should have to make - refrain from responding and subject its civilians to rocket attack, or engage with terrorists and risk injuring civilians. Hamas uses Palestinian casualties to fuel its propaganda machine. Hamas' strategy is clear. It perpetuates the killing of its own people in the hope that the international community will place pressure on Israel to grant its demands. Sadly, many people have fallen for this cynical campaign by describing the fighting as moral equivalency, or a "cycle of violence". All those who argue that both sides are equally to blame are playing into Hamas' hand and sentencing the people of Gaza and Israel to further suffering. Ill-informed condemnations of Israel strengthen the hand of terrorists. There is a clear difference between Israel and Hamas.”
2014-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7220 (2014) · source
“Hamas is using United Nations facilities to commit a double war crime by targeting Israeli civilians while hiding behind Palestinian civilians. From the safety of their luxury hotels in Qatar, Hamas leaders like Khaled Mashaal order room service with one hand and order Hamas to use Palestinians as human shields with the other. But Council members do not have to take my word for it. The Palestinian representative to the United Nations Human Rights Council has admitted as much, saying: "The missiles that are now being launched against Israel - each and every missile constitutes a crime against humanity, whether it hits or misses, because it is directed at civilian targets." I hope the Palestinian representative will remember that when making threats to enter certain United Nations organizations.”
2014-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7220 (2014) · source
“We are operating only against terrorist targets and genuinely regret any civilian loss. In contrast, there is no red line that Hamas will not cross. It will stop at nothing and there is no depth that it will not sink to. It is even using ambulances filled with children to move its terrorists around Gaza. There is no site that is off limits for Hamas. It is storing its weapons in family homes and launching rockets from mosques, and has established its headquarters in the basement of a Gaza hospital. Yesterday, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) admitted that it had found, mysteriously, 20 missiles in one of its schools. I am sure that if UNRWA took the time to check its other facilities, it would discover that this is just the tip of the iceberg.”
2014-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7220 (2014) · source
“This is the third time in the past two weeks that Hamas has used its tunnels to infiltrate Israel and tried to carry out attacks. All the while, it is still launching hundreds of rockets. For 10 days, the life of 5 million Israelis has meant having just seconds to run for a bomb shelter and save their lives. Our largest cities - Tel Aviv, Haifa and Jerusalem - are being bombarded on a daily basis. There is no country in the world that would tolerate such an assault on its citizens, and Israel should not be expected to do so either. We are acting solely to defend Israelis from constant terror attacks. Throughout Operation Protective Edge, Israel has been committed to upholding international law. Our army is a moral army like no other in the world. It does not aspire to harm any innocent person.”
2014-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7220 (2014) · source
“For six hours on Tuesday, Israel held its fire. During that time, the world witnessed Hamas' understanding of ceasefires. Israel ceases and Hamas fires. Hamas did not fire one or two rockets; it battered Israel with 50 rockets. Every one sent a message loud and clear that Hamas is determined to wage war on the Jewish State. Two days later, the United Nations asked for a limited humanitarian truce. Once again, Prime Minister Netanyahu agreed and proved that Israel is not interested in a war. As aid workers transferred goods to assist the people of Gaza, Hamas continued to defiantly launch rockets into Israel. How did Hamas use the humanitarian ceasefire? It sent 13 heavily armed terrorists through a terror tunnel towards Kibbutz Sufa with the sole purpose of committing a massacre.”
2014-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7220 (2014) · source
“Our forces are fighting in Gaza but they are not fighting the people of Gaza. For years, the citizens of Israel have been the victims of unrelenting attacks perpetrated by a murderous terrorist group. Hamas has attacked us in our homes and our schools and on our buses. The Council should stand now with Israel to prevent the next barrage of rockets, the next kidnapping, and the next suicide attack, so that we may once and for all remove the threat of terrorism casting its dark shadow over the people of Israel. The past month alone offers a glimpse into the unrelenting threats that Israel faces. We are being attacked on four fronts. Rockets have been launched from Syria, Lebanon and Sinai, and over 1,500 rockets have been fired by terrorists in Gaza. Israel's great restraint is being met with unrestrained aggression.”
2014-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7220 (2014) · source
“In the face of terrorists kidnapping our children, we were left with no choice. In the face of rockets raining down on our citizens, we were left with no choice. In the face of jihadists tunneling under our borders, we were left with no choice. A few hours ago, the Israel Defense Forces entered Gaza to restore sustained quiet to the people of Israel while degrading Hamas' terror capabilities. We did everything in our power to avoid that. Prime Minister Netanyahu made the courageous decision to accept every ceasefire offered, even as the people of Israel were under attack. But Hamas rejected every overture to restore the quiet. That was not what we wanted. We have sent our children - our sons and our daughters - to face an enemy that lives by violence and celebrates death. I want to be clear.”
2014-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7220 (2014) · source
“If the international community wants the nations of the world to stand with it in the battle against terrorism tomorrow, it must stand with Israel today. The call from our capitals must be loud and clear - opposing terrorism in one place means opposing it in every place. It is our cities, homes and families that are under fire right now. I ask each and every person in this Chamber what they would do if it was their family under attack. What would they expect their own Governments to do? There is only one responsible course of action for the Council - it is to condemn Hamas, condemn terrorism and condemn the rocket fire. It must call on President Abbas to dissolve the unity Government and support Israel's right to defend itself. That is the only way to achieve peace in our region.”
2014-07-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7214 (2014) · source
“In Gaza, there are public squares and hospitals named after terrorists. Visit a Gaza school and there are children dressed up as suicide bombers and chanting death threats to Israel. Visit the home of Abu Aysha's mother, and she will say how proud she is that her son was behind the kidnapping and murder of Eyal, Gilad and Naftali. A culture that celebrates martyrdom and murder is a culture that will always be at war with itself and with its neighbours. Israel is at the forefront of the free world in fighting radical Islamic terrorism. The threat posed by terrorism is a global one - the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, Al-Qaida, Boko Haram, Hizbullah and Hamas. From Abuja to Fallujah, terrorists are attacking our schools and skyscrapers, our homes and hospitals, our malls and embassies. No nation is immune.”
2014-07-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7214 (2014) · source
“Now that the rockets are landing in our backyard and the terrorists are on our doorstep, it is time for the international community to finally recognize Hamas for what it really is - a terrorist organization that should be denounced, dismantled and delegitimized. Unlike our enemies, Israel believes in the infinite value of human life. The Bible says, "I have set before you life and death.... therefore choose life." The Jewish people always choose life. Yet that is not what we see on the other side. In 2005, Israel evacuated from Gaza and in the process uprooted 12,000 Israelis from their homes. The Palestinians had the opportunity to build a prosperous and peaceful society. Instead of building the Palestinian people up, they have committed to tearing Israel down. Instead of choosing life, they celebrate death.”
2014-07-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7214 (2014) · source
“In his remarks, he did not mention a single one of the rockets fired into Israel - 442 rockets, and he does not say a word. His silence is as deafening as the rockets exploding in Israel right now. Through his choice of words, the Palestinian observer has become the mouthpiece of Hamas. Since when does a terror organization get a seat and a voice in the United Nations? For years, we have called on the international community to condemn the rocket fire. We have been met with silence. For years, we spoke about the thousands of rockets that Hamas was smuggling into Gaza. Everyone thought we were exaggerating and said not a word. For years, we warned of the impending escalation and were ignored.”
2014-07-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7214 (2014) · source
“Since 2013, it has attempted to kidnap 64 Israelis. Members of the international community have embraced this Fatah-Hamas partnership, even though Hamas has not changed its tune or acted in concert with the Quartet principles. It has not recognized Israel, renounced violence or accepted previous agreements. Nonetheless, the international community has been willing to buy into this bad deal, and now Israeli citizens are paying the price. It is time for the international community to right this wrong and make it clear to Hamas that unity does not equal impunity. Meanwhile, the Palestinian observer sits in this Chamber and has the audacity to shield Hamas even as that terror organization uses its own people as human shields.”
2014-07-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7214 (2014) · source
“Earlier this week, terrorists infiltrated Israel from the sea on a mission to attack a nearby kibbutz. I would like to remind the Council that the terrorist group behind those attacks has a seat in the Palestinian unity Government. Hamas is recognized internationally as a terrorist organization by many countries, including members of the Security Council - the same Hamas that does not recognize Israel and promotes a genocidal agenda by seeking Israel's destruction. Its Charter states clearly that Israel exists and will continue to exist until Islam obliterates it. Hamas is practising what it preaches. It has sent suicide bombers into our shopping centres, buses and cafes. It has brainwashed an entire generation of Palestinian children and sent thousands ofyoung people to terrorist training camps.”
2014-07-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7214 (2014) · source
“They are being used to build terror tunnels that Hamas uses to kidnap Israelis. Over the past few years, Hamas has built up a massive military machine with 10,000 rockets. Israel is now acting to dismantle that machine. Hamas is determined to escalate the situation with an arsenal it has acquired courtesy of one of the world's primary sponsors of terrorism, Iran. In March, Iran was caught red-handed trying to transfer long-range missiles into Gaza. Those missiles have a range of 160 kilometres and can hit Israel's largest population centres. Hamas must understand that it cannot target Israeli civilians. Just this morning, on one of our highways, the IDF stopped a car that was packed with explosives, en route to carrying out a suicide attack.”
2014-07-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7214 (2014) · source
“Earlier this week, Hamas blew up a tunnel near the Kerem Shalom crossing, and it has been firing rockets and missiles at this critical entry point. Let me be clear. Hamas is targeting the only crossing through which food, medicine and other essentials enter Gaza. That is how much it really cares about its own people. Despite the attacks, Israel is keeping the crossing open, and on Tuesday and Wednesday 242 truckloads of goods were delivered into the Gaza Strip. Members of this body have repeatedly criticized Israel for restricting the entry of construction materials into Gaza. Let me explain what that cement and steel are being used for. They are certainly not being used to build schools, kindergartens or homes. They are being used to build rockets that Hamas shoots indiscriminately at Israeli schools, kindergartens and homes.”
2014-07-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7214 (2014) · source
“We are not going to give them so-called time out so that they can replenish their rocket supplies and hit us again in a few weeks. Israel is taking great measures to avoid harming innocent civilians. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) warn the Palestinians in Gaza of imminent strikes. At the same time, Hamas instructs those civilians to stand on the roofs of those buildings and to act as human shields. Hamas exploits our concern for human life by hiding in Palestinian homes, schools and mosques and by using the basement of a hospital in Gaza as its headquarters. They are committing a double war crime, targeting Israeli civilians while hiding behind Palestinian civilians. Hamas is targeting the supply lines of its own people. It is firing rockets at an electrical plant in Ashkelon that is keeping the lights on for the citizens of Gaza.”
2014-07-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7214 (2014) · source
“They have accused us of reacting disproportionately. Asking Israel to show restraint while our cities are under constant attack is like asking a fire brigade to battle an inferno with nothing more than buckets of water. No country would accept the threats that Israel faces. We are determined to give Israelis the safety and security that they deserve. This week, Israel launched a self-defence operation, called Protective Edge, to counter the attacks, to defend our citizens and to secure for them a life without a constant threat. The goal of our operation is to remove the threat posed by Hamas by dismantling its military infrastructure and to restore calm in Israel. We are not looking for a band-aid solution that will allow Hamas to rest and regroup.”
2014-07-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7214 (2014) · source
“Now imagine doing that with small children, elderly parents or an ailing friend. A generation of Israeli children is growing up under the shadow of that threat. Such an abnormal way of life has become the norm for many Israelis. That is absolutely unacceptable. No nation, no people and no Government could tolerate it. Hamas dragged us into this conflict. On the evening of 12 June, three Israeli teenagers - Eyal, Gilad and Naftali - were on their way home from school when they were kidnapped and murdered by Hamas terrorists. In the days that followed, Hamas began raining rockets indiscriminately on our homes and cities. While Israel showed restraint, Hamas responded with unrestrained aggression. There were more rockets and more terror attacks. Some people in this Chamber have criticized Israel for finally responding to those provocations.”
2014-07-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7214 (2014) · source
“I would first like to thank the Secretary-General for his remarks. In the time that he spoke, another five rockets were fired from Gaza into southern Israel, one of which fell on a house. Before I begin my statement, I would like to thank Ambassador Gasana for presiding over this important meeting. As I speak, there is a storm of rockets being fired by the Hamas terrorist organization in Gaza. Hamas is intentionally and indiscriminately threatening the lives of 3.5 million innocent men, women and children in Israel from the south to the north - from Beersheba to Tel Aviv and Haifa. In the past three days, 442 rockets have been fired into Israel. That is one every 10 minutes. Fifteen seconds is how much time one has to run for one's life. Imagine having only 15 seconds to find a bomb shelter.”
2014-07-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7214 (2014) · source
“Each of us is an eyewitness to this danger, and we cannot turn a blind eye when rogue States' regimes cross red lines. Resolution 1540 (2004) must be strengthened with real preventative measures, real enforcement mechanisms and real consequences for terrorists and rogue regimes. In conclusion, if we work together, we can ensure that the world's most dangerous people never acquire the world's most dangerous weapons.”
2014-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7169 (2014) · source
“From the plains of Africa to the jungles of Central America, Israeli experts have contributed their knowledge on a range of issues - from terrorist financing and forensic investigation to aviation security and border protection. As we speak, smugglers are transporting cargoes loaded with rockets, missiles and explosives across the Middle East. One of those rockets could spark the next major conflict. One of those missiles could trigger the next terror attack. One of those shipments could carry a dirty bomb. Winston Churchill said, "One ought never to turn one's back on a threatened danger and try to run away from it. If you do that, you will double the danger." The world is more dangerous than ever before. From smartphones to smart bombs, technology has made it easier for terrorists to inflict mass destruction.”
2014-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7169 (2014) · source
“That legislation incorporates lists of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the Australia Group and the Missile Technology Control Regime. Not long ago, Israeljoined the handful of countries that ratified the 2005 amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material. That is in addition to having signed the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism. Israel has a policy of supporting efforts to promote the universality of those two important conventions. In addition, we are closely engaged in non-proliferation initiatives, such as the Global Threat Reduction Initiative and Proliferation Security Initiative. Israel is also sharing its unique expertise with other nations.”
2014-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7169 (2014) · source
“Israel finds itself in one of the most hostile parts of the world and so, out of necessity, we have become leaders in combating terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. In addition to developing state-of-the-art technologies and tools, Israel has instituted significant legal measures to fight terrorism. Israel is party to the core universal instruments on counter-terrorism, fully implements resolution 1373 (2001) and has enacted legislation to reduce threats against our citizens. The Israeli export control legislation restricts the goods and technologies that can be used by non-State actors, States supporting terrorism and other countries of concern in the manufacture, development and use of WMDs and their means of delivery.”
2014-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7169 (2014) · source
“As Sherlock Holmes said, there is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact. And the obvious fact is that Syria is deceiving us. It is a regime that lies in bed with Iran and sees no problem with lying to the international community. It is not enough to take Syria at its word when it says that it is complying with the elimination of its chemical weapons. We must verify and validate the situation on the ground. The failure to do so could have deadly consequences if Syria's stockpiles were to fall into the hands of terrorist groups such as Hizbullah. Just as it is with one's family, we do not get to choose our neighbours on the map.”
2014-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7169 (2014) · source
“The KLOS-C was a close call and a reminder that each and every day, illegal arms are being smuggled across the sea, over land and through the skies. In the Middle East, radical groups are taking advantage ofthat instability to learn about the ABC of terrorism- atomic, biological and chemical weapons. In Syria, they learn from the dictator in Damascus, who sees no problem in dropping barrel bombs packed with explosives, shrapnel and chlorine on homes, hospitals and markets. For years, Al-Assad and his regime denied having chemical weapons, I remind all members. In its reports to the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), Syria declared that "the Syrian Arab Republic is a State that neither possesses nor intends to acquire WMD [weapons of mass destruction], their means of delivery or related materials".”
2014-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7169 (2014) · source
“On 5 March, the Israeli Defense Forces intercepted the ship in the southern Red Sea. Our forces discovered tens of thousands of munitions and tons of sophisticated rockets. The advanced weapons onboard the ship would have placed millions ofIsraelis in the crosshairs of terrorists. This is not the first time that Iran - the world's leading State sponsor of terrorism - has been caught red-handed. In 2002, the Karine-A was intercepted while carrying 50 tons of Iranian weapons. In 2009, the Israeli Navy seized the MVFrancop carrying hundreds of tons of weapons bound for the Hizbullah terrorist organization. And in 2011, the MV Victoria was caught carrying illicit arms destined for terrorists in the Gaza Strip.”
2014-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7169 (2014) · source
“Ten years ago, the Council adopted resolution 1540 (2004) to enforce measures against the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and their means of delivery to terrorists. Yet it is clear that a great deal more must be done to stem the flow of weapons, particularly in the Middle East. Earlier this year, a shipment of advanced rockets was loaded onto a plane in Damascus and flown to Tehran. From there they were transported over land to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas and loaded onto a civilian vessel, the KLOS-C. From the outside, it looked like an ordinary cargo vessel but the KLOS-C was not carrying parcels for UPS. It was operating as T.P.S. - the Terrorists' Proliferation Ship. The KLOS-C set a course towards Port Sudan, a transit point in a weapons supply route used by Iran to move arms to the Gaza Strip.”
2014-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7169 (2014) · source
“For 60 seconds a siren wails across the entire country. Cars racing down the highway slow to a halt, and drivers step out onto the road. Children pause their games and fall silent. Men and women stop working and stand at attention. Where else in the world does an entire nation stop everything to remember its fallen heroes? In Israel, we bow our heads and pay tribute to the people who enabled us to live freely in a democratic country. In its 66 years of history, Israel has not known a single day in which it has not fought for its survival. In Israel, every child grows up with armed guards outside his school. Every home has an emergency bunker. Almost every family is bereaved, having lost a loved one to terrorism or war. For the 8 million citizens of Israel, that abnormality is the reality.”
2014-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7169 (2014) · source
“I would like to start by thanking you personally, Madam President, for the patience that you showed towards the representative of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. One can understand that someone such as him who is usually deprived of speaking about anything in his own country is sorely taking advantage of the opportunity to speak freely and at great length. It is too bad that it is at our own expense. I wish to commend you, Madam President, on your able stewardship of the Security Council this month and for holding this important debate. Yesterday, Israel celebrated its sixty-sixth anniversary. Across the country, there were parties and picnics, fireworks and festivities. Amid the joy and celebration, the day was touched by sadness because, right before celebrating Independence Day, Israel observes Memorial Day.”
2014-05-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7169 (2014) · source
“As we prepare to celebrate Israel's sixty-sixth anniversary as a free and independent State, I wish to reaffirm the commitment made in our Declaration of Independence: "We offer peace and unity to all the neighbouring States and their peoples, and invite them to cooperate with the independent Jewish nation for the common good of all."”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source
“Blaming Israel will not solve the problems plaguing the Middle East. It will not stop Al-Assad from dropping barrel bombs or create jobs for the hungry masses in Egypt or empower women in Saudi Arabia. The Palestinians must be held accountable for their actions. Sanctions against Iran must extract a real price. And dictators should not be allowed to target and torture civilians with impunity. Someday, I hope that we will read about attacks on the Jewish people in history books rather than newspapers. Someday, I hope that Israel will be accepted as the nation-State of the Jewish people by every Member of this Organization. And someday, I hope that Israeli children will grow up free from war. But that day has not yet come.”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source
“Not satisfied at having murdered the Syrian people with chemical weapons, snipers and barrel bombs, they are now intentionally besieging entire neighbourhoods and using starvation as a tool of war. The State of Israel is appalled by the violence. In the face of the horrendous suffering, we are speaking out against Al-Assad's ruthlessness. And in the face of the unspeakable cruelty, we are acting compassionately and providing medical treatment to hundreds of Syrians. The Syrian people have seen first-hand that Israel values human life above all else. This is a rare quality in the Middle East. Repressive Arab regimes have kept their people poor and uneducated. They have brutally and mercilessly suppressed their rights. And they have poisoned their people's minds with hatred.”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source
“Iran's Supreme Leader of Holocaust denial, Ayatollah Khamenei, is the head of the outlaw regime and continues to make outlandish claims. Yesterday Israel marked Holocaust Remembrance Day. We recall how nations dismissed the murderous Nazi rhetoric and downplayed the seriousness of the danger. Ultimately, the Second World War claimed the lives of 60 million people, including six millions Jews. Today, in the face of Iran's nuclear ambitions, what has the world really learned? The facts are clear and the threat is very real. Iran is fanning the flames of conflict across the Middle East. Rouhani and Assad are brothers in bloodshed directing the world's worst humanitarian crisis.”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source
“Iran's nuclear weapons capability and long- range missile capability should be fully dismantled. None of this can disguise the fact that Iran is one of the world's worst human rights abusers. The regime is holding 1,000 people, including 35 journalists, as so-called political prisoners. Last year, Iran executed 624 people - that is an average of two executions per day. Among these so-called criminals were 28 women, three children and a poet named Hashem Shaabani. Shaabani's so-called crime was criticizing the regime's treatment of minorities. The regime declared him a an "enemy of God" and hanged him. This offers further proof that the so-called justice system in Iran is nothing short of an injustice. The messages of hate and intolerance come straight from the top.”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source
“Iran has violated numerous resolutions aimed at curbing its nuclear programme and it continues to evade International Atomic Energy Agency inspections. Iran's campaign to convince the world that its nuclear programme is peaceful should have earned the regime at least an honorary mention at the Oscars for best acting and best adapted screenplay from a work of fiction. Clearly the production is working. At a time when sanctions should be increased they are being eased. Make no mistake, ifyou leave Iran as a threshold nuclear Power, you will be leaving the world on the threshold of the abyss. Unravelling the sanctions regime against Iran might prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapon today, but it would virtually ensure that Iran has a nuclear weapon tomorrow. That must not be allowed to happen.”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source
“In its 65-year history, Israel has not experienced a single day in which it was not confronting terrorist groups - Hamas in the south and Hizbullah in the north. This month alone, authorities in Thailand foiled a plan by Hizbullah agents to attack Israeli tourists and Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah took responsibility for planting a roadside bomb in northern Israel. His admission offers concrete proof that Hizbullah is operating south of the Litani river, in violation of resolution 1701 (2006). Both Hamas and Hizbullah receive funding and support from the world's primary sponsor of terrorism Iran. A close look at Iranian foreign policy reveals that their strategy is to defy - "D, E, F, Y": deceive, evade, falsify and yield absolutely nothing.”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source
“Gunmen have terrorized the Christian community and looted and desecrated the Church of the Nativity, one of Christianity's holiest sites. One might think that the United Nations would make every effort to support Israel's protection of religious freedoms. Instead of taking constructive actions to help mitigate the sensitive situation, Robert Serry, the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East, took destructive steps that aggravated tensions on the ground. It is unfortunate that a United Nations official abused his position and the United Nations platform to express his personal opinions. Both Mr. Serry and the Arab nations need reminding that core issues, including Jerusalem, must be dealt with at the negotiating table and not by parties tabling false accusations.”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source
“After reuniting Jerusalem in 1967, Israel abolished discriminatory laws and introduced religious freedoms that allow millions of Muslims and Christians to visit and pray at their holy sites. Every year, millions of people visit Jerusalem to celebrate their holy days. The vast crowds pose considerable public safety challenges, but Israel is committed to ensuring that Jerusalem is an open city for all faiths and one that celebrates religious tolerance and diversity. This is in stark contrast to the Palestinians' treatment of minority faiths. Since the Hamas takeover of Gaza in 2007, more than half the Christian community has fled. They face a grim choice: convert to Islam or face the sword. In Bethlehem, which has been under Palestinian Authority control since 1995, the Christian population has fallen dramatically.”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source
“The Palestinians and the Arab States send letter after letter and lodge complaint after complaint filled with lies, misinformation and half-truths. Most recently, they launched a campaign accusing Israel of impeding freedom of worship and denying access to religious sites. Certain parties have even criticized remarks made in our Parliament. I know that freedom of expression is a foreign concept to most regimes in the Middle East. One is about as likely to hear a Saudi disagree with his Government as to see a Saudi woman behind the wheel of a race car in the next Indianapolis 500 - or any car, for that matter. Israel is the only nation in the Middle East that grants full religious rights to people of all faiths.”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source
“And yet when Israel does allow cement into Gaza, instead of building the Palestinian people up, Hamas is committed to tearing them down. They could be using the cement to build schools, homes and hospitals, but instead they build terror tunnels to smuggle weapons and attack Israel. If the international community is truly committed to advancing peace, it must stop pointing fingers at Israel and demonstrate real resolve. The Palestinians must be held accountable for their actions. Targeting civilians must be unacceptable, and acts of terror should be condemned publicly and unequivocally. "No matter how big the lie, repeat it often enough and the masses will regard it as the truth", is a remark that has been attributed to President John F. Kennedy.”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source
“Not a day goes by when Hamas does not seek Israel's destruction. Last month, the Israel Defense Forces intercepted a cargo ship sent by Iran, carrying advanced weaponry destined for the Hamas- controlled Gaza Strip. The weapons included rockets, ammunition and missiles capable of striking the very heart of Israel. The international community is quick to condemn Israel, but never says a word when Israelis are the victims of unrelenting attacks. How many times has the international community criticized Israel for restricting the entry of certain dual-use goods into Gaza? You do not have to be Christopher Columbus to discover that a second country borders Gaza, yet it is never, ever mentioned by the Security Council. And how many times has the Council criticized Israel for restricting the entry of construction materials?”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source
“Israel wants to negotiate with a single legitimate entity representing the Palestinian people, but it will not negotiate with a Palestinian Government backed by Hamas. If Hamas is in the back office, Israel will not be at the negotiating table. Anyone who wonders why Israel will not negotiate with Hamas might as well be wondering why nobody shows up to dinner parties thrown by Hannibal Lecter. As we speak, millions ofdollars are being channeled to the Palestinian Authority. Now that the Palestinians have signed a unity agreement, that funding will be at the disposal of Hamas, an internationally recognized terrorist organization. I wonder how taxpayers in London, Luxembourg and Paris will feel knowing that they will enable Hamas to launch more rockets into Israel, kidnap more Israelis and send more suicide bombers into our cafe's.”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source
“Hamas leader Haniyeh praised the attack, saying that the killing brought back life to the path of resistance, and he commended the heroes of Hebron. The Palestinian Authority's unity with Hamas will only bring greater impunity for the terrorists who fire rockets into our cities. In 2006, when Hamas took control of Gaza, the international community devised the Quartet principles in order to prevent international funding from flowing to terrorist organizations. The conditions the Quartet set were that Hamas must renounce violence, recognize Israel and abide by prior agreements. Some have even rushed to bless the Hamas and Fatah union faster than a Las Vegas marriage clerk. I have yet to hear Hamas agree to any of the Quartet's conditions. Instead of choosing peace with Israel, Abbas has chosen peace with Hamas.”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source
“If these are the values that the Palestinians are embracing, no wonder they are running into the arms of Hamas. All those in the international community who are here today to commend and support the unity Government agreement are in fact lending legitimacy to terror attacks against Israel. Hamas makes no secret of its intentions. Its Charter calls for the destruction of Israel. Article 7 says, "The Day of Judgement will not come until Muslims fight the Jews and kill them". Last week, we received a painful reminder of Hamas's brutality. Baruch Mizrahi, a 47-year-old Israeli father of five was driving with his family when the car was attacked by Palestinian terrorists. Baruch was murdered and his wife and nine year-old son wounded.”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source
“Nine months ago, Israel and the Palestinians returned to the negotiation table and set a deadline of 29 April - today - for reaching an agreement. True to form, the Palestinians have performed their distinctive two-faced two-step. When Israel tries to tango with Abbas, we find ourselves abandoned on the dance floor as Abbas waltzes offwith Hamas. The Palestinians have made a career out of squeezing more and more compromises out of Israel without granting a single tangible compromise of their own. In the latest round of peace negotiations, Israel agreed to do what no other Government in the world would even consider, releasing coldblooded murderers. Imagine the pain felt by Israelis every time they watched those terrorists receive a hero's welcome from President Abbas.”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source
“This goes to the very heart of the problem. The Palestinians pledge dialogue while fomenting hatred. They promise tolerance while celebrating terrorists. And they make commitments almost as quickly as they break them. The Palestinian leadership recently broke a commitment by applying to join 15 international treaties and conventions. It seems to me that they have forgotten that they also have to abide by those treaties and address the rampant persecution of women, children and minorities in Palestinian society. Winston Churchill is famously quoted as saying "The farther backward you look, the farther forward you can see". Only those who can look back and see the patterns in history can prevent the same mistakes from occurring over and over again.”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source
“After the Israeli Prime Minister had offered an unprecedented and far-reaching peace deal, the Palestinians simply walked away. He did it again in 2009. Prime Minister Netanyahu courageously extended an olive branch to the Palestinians in his historic Bar- Ilan speech, agreeing to a 10-month settlement freeze. The Palestinians stalled and did not reciprocate. In February 2012 - surprise, surprise -just as we were on the verge of a breakthrough, Abbas abandoned the talks and flew to Doha to sign a unity deal with Hamas, an internationally recognized terrorist organization. A few months later, the Palestinian leadership went to the United Nations seeking to bypass direct negotiations. While Israel makes tangible concessions to advance peace, the Palestinian leadership has let every window of opportunity fly out of the window.”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source