YouSaid · the spoken record

Roet

lines on the record: 197
first: 2014-05-28
most recent: 2017-06-28
sittings or episodes: 22
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

“Their testimonies - forced conversions, forced marriage, sexual assault, displacement and slavery - are what we would expect to read about in the Dark Ages, not in the twenty-first century. Daesh is just one of the radical extremist groups that seek to subjugate women. There is Boko Haram in Nigeria, Al-Qaida in Yemen, like-minded militias in Libya, Al-Shabaab in the East Africa, and Hamas in Gaza. They seek to control every area of a woman's life - how she dresses, where she goes, how she spends her money, who she marries and how many children she has. The Holy Bible tells us that there is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens.”
2014-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7289 (2014) · source
“This debate marks the fourteenth anniversary of resolution 1325 (2000) and provides an important opportunity to address the persistent and emerging gaps to the implementation of the women and peace and security agenda. Last week, I read a story about Amsha, a Yazidi woman from northern Iraq who was captured by Daesh in August. Amsha watched in horror as jihadi fighters separated the men. Her husband was ordered to lie face down on the ground. One by one the jihadists passed over the men and shot them in the head. The women were taken to Mosul and held prisoner with hundreds of other women and girls. Every day, men entered the room to pick out a girl. They sold Amsha for $12. The man who bought her viciously raped and beat her. Stories such as that of Amsha are emerging every day.”
2014-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7289 (2014) · source
“It is time to speak out clearly and unequivocally, to call on President Abbas and the Palestinian Authority to denounce Hamas, stop the anti-Israel incitement and take constructive steps towards peace. That is the only way to ensure that all of our children can inherit a more open, more tolerant and more peaceful planet.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“Israelis envision the day when we can live free from divisions, hatred and violence. But making peace requires courageous action. The international community must lead by example and confront the real root causes of the instability plaguing the Middle East. It must stand firm against the jihadist groups that are spreading the poison of radical extremism throughout our region. In the coming months, our values and our resolve will be tested time and again. We must stand firm, because the safety of our citizens and global security are at stake. The global community has been clear about its opposition to Daesh, Al-Qaida and Boko Haram, but that same determination must be shown with respect to Hamas and Hizbullah, which share the same dangerous and radical views.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“Two weeks ago, three improvised explosive devices were detonated on the Israeli side of the Blue Line. Shortly after the attack, Hizbullah claimed responsibility for planting the devices. This is not the first incident of this nature. Earlier this year, Hizbullah leader Nasrallah admitted his organization's responsibility for planting a roadside bomb in the vicinity of Mount Dov. Before the situation deteriorates any further, the Security Council must demand that the Lebanese Government fully abide by Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) and deploy its armed forces to prevent any further attacks before it is too late. Israel will not tolerate any attack on its sovereignty and will act to protect its territory and its citizens. The citizens of Israel want to live in peace. There is nothing we want more.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“In Syria, Iran has sent its Revolutionary Guards to fight alongside Al-Assad's forces and spent billions sustaining the bloody civil war that has taken almost 200,000 lives. In Lebanon, the Iranian-backed Hizbullah terrorist group has built a militia larger and stronger than many armies. For years, we alerted the international community to the fact that illegal arms continued to flow into southern Lebanon. We warned that Hizbullah was amassing tens of thousands of rockets and missiles. We were met with silence. That is the same response we received when we reported that Syria was arming itself with chemical weapons and Hamas was smuggling thousands of rockets into Gaza. Will the Council continue to remain silent as Hizbullah escalates its attacks on Israel?”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“In the year since Rouhani was elected President, has Iran reformed its justice system? Not in the least. Every month, dozens of Iranians are hanged from cranes in public squares, and hundreds of political prisoners are beaten and tortured. Are the Iranian people in any way freer or happier? It turns out that even being happy is a crime in Iran. Just days after Rouhani denounced Internet censorship as "cowardly", six young Iranians were arrested for creating a YouTube video in which they sang and danced about being happy. Rouhani may smile happily for the cameras, but Iran's own citizens are denied that privilege. For decades, Iran has funded hundreds of terror campaigns that have taken thousands of innocent lives in Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“The international community must see Iran for what it is: a ruthless and repressive regime that is determined to acquire nuclear weapons. It has been over a year since Hassan Rouhani became President of Iran. He came to power promising to tackle corruption, grant freedoms and defend minorities. Now, one year later, what exactly has changed? According to a United Nations report issued in March, religious minorities in Iran still face rampant discrimination. In particular, "Iranian authorities at the highest levels have designated house churches and evangelical Christians as threats to national security" (A/HRC/25/6I, para. 40). What does it say when a nation is desperate to acquire weapons of mass destruction, but regards churchgoers as weapons of "Sunday Mass" destruction?”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“As the international community comes together to fight the threat posed by radical extremist groups, it should not lose sight of the even greater threat looming on the horizon: a nuclear Iran. The horrific death and destruction we are seeing today in our area pales in comparison to the devastation that would unfold if the world's most dangerous regime were to get its hands on the world's most dangerous weapons. The international community has realized the need for a robust strategy that will contain the threat posed by terrorist groups such as Daesh. The same thinking is needed with State sponsors of terror such as Iran. The nuclear deal that is currently on the table allows Iran's nuclear infrastructure, knowledge and ambitions to remain intact. That is a dangerous mistake.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“Over the years, Hamas has stolen hundreds of millions of aid dollars intended for development to build its military capabilities and terror infrastructure. This time must be different. This time there must be proper oversight to ensure that all funds and materials reach their intended destination. This time we must ensure that Hamas does not stockpile more rockets and build more terror tunnels. To that end, Israel welcomes the tripartite mechanism for rehabilitating the Gaza Strip. Working together, we can build a strong Palestinian economy while building bridges towards peace. That will be possible only through partnership, cooperation and direct negotiation. Unilateral actions are not a step forward; they are a step in the wrong direction. The third root cause is States sponsors ofterrorism.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“Last week, 600 tons of cement and 60 trucks of construction aggregates and iron were transferred into Gaza to begin reconstruction efforts. Furthermore, all projects submitted by the international community and the Palestinian Authority have already been approved. Now that a ceasefire is holding, we must consider how to bring about a lasting and sustained period of quiet for the people of both Gaza and Israel. Only the demilitarization of Gaza can guarantee a durable and sustained ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians. Many in the international community are quick to denounce Israel's actions but are blind to one simple fact: if Hamas is allowed to acquire more weapons, it will use them. We have been at this crossroads before.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“For that reason, in the early days of Operation Protective Edge, Israel established a fact-finding mechanism in accordance with international law to investigate exceptional incidents. Those incidents include, among others, cases which resulted in harm to civilians or damage to civil or United Nations facilities. As a democracy, Israel upholds and abides by the rule of law. We would hope that the international community would support us in this effort. Premature and unfounded accusations serve no purpose other than to inflame tensions in the region. Israel is committed to partnership with the international community to advance peace and develop the Palestinian economy. We have already approved a three-phase plan to address the Palestinians' economic and construction needs and improve the access and movement of people and goods.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“The selection of William Schabas to chair the Gaza commission of inquiry is just one more example of the anti-Israel bias that pervades the Organization. Mr. Schabas's agenda is clear. He has repeatedly called for the prosecution of Israeli leaders, saying, "My favourite would be Netanyahu within the dock of the International Criminal Court". It is obvious that Mr. Schabas is not impartial, and yet he refuses to recuse himself. If Mr. Schabas does not have the integrity to do what is right, then it is up to the international community to step in. Israel does not shy away from accepting responsibility, but cannot be expected to abide by a commission that has predetermined the outcome of its inquiry. Israel understands that the examination of its policies is a fundamental part of the democratic process.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“And so I ask him, "why do you not condemn Hamas for using your own people as human shields? Why do you not denounce Hamas for stealing from the Palestinian people to buy rockets and build terror tunnels? Why do you pursue destructive unilateral actions rather than constructive bilateral efforts?" The same message should be conveyed to the international community. Supporting Palestinian unilateral steps does not advance the cause ofpeace. By prematurely recognizing a State of Palestine, European Governments are sending a message that Palestinians do not need to make hard choices and may thereby be undermining efforts to bring about a real and lasting change in our region. The United Nations must also play its part.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“In his remarks to the General Assembly last month, President Abbas delivered a hate-fuelled attack that accused Israel of the worst crimes, including racism and genocide (see A/69/PV.12). Just a few days ago, he called on the Palestinians to prevent Jews from visiting the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, through the use of "all means necessary". Are those the words of a man committed to making peace? Does that sound like a leader willing to make painful compromises? Or is that more incitement and intolerance? Making peace requires compromise and hard choices. The remarks made earlier by the Palestinian observer offer another example of the tendency of the Palestinians to point fingers instead of taking responsibility. His remarks touched on many things, but failed to address the important issues.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“Despite all of that, Israel - and Israel alone - is singled out, scrutinized and criticized. At the Cairo Conference many nations had a great deal to say about Israel's policies and actions, but they could not even bring themselves to mention Hamas by name. A second real root cause of the conflict is the unilateral steps that distance us from peace. There are no shortcuts when it comes to making peace. Making peace requires courageous leaders - leaders who speak about partnership and denounce prejudice; leaders who embrace tolerance and reject terrorism; leaders who believe in cooperation instead of conflict. When Israel faced a leader willing to make peace, we made peace. That was the case with President Sadat of Egypt and it was the case with King Hussein of Jordan.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“We accepted ceasefire after ceasefire, we aborted missions to save lives and, before launching attacks, we dropped leaflets, sent text messages and made phone calls. What other country goes to those lengths to protect civilians? Hamas" modus operandi is to exploit its innocent civilians and endanger its own people. There is no site in Gaza that Hamas deemed off limits - not ambulances which were used to transport terrorists, not private homes where Israeli forces discovered explosives beside a baby crib, not hospitals that were used as terrorist command centres, and certainly not schools administered by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, which were turned into rocket storehouses and where, from just steps away, terrorists fired rockets.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“Some in the international community are willing to admit this fundamental fact behind closed doors, but rarely will they acknowledge it in public meetings. Millions of Israeli families spent the summer months this year running for shelter from the thousands of rockets fired intentionally and indiscriminately by Hamas towards our cities and towns. Communities near Gaza were horrified to learn that their homes and schools were steps from Hamas' vast network of terror tunnels. No nation, no Government could be expected to stand by as its people are the target of rocket attacks, kidnappings or terrorist plots. In the face of those unrelenting threats, we were left with no choice but to defend our citizens. Israel did everything it could to safeguard innocent lives, taking steps beyond those required under international law.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“Hizbullah will not surrender its tens of thousands of rockets, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant will not join the Peace Corps and stop recruiting new jihadists, and Hamas will not amend its charter to recognize the existence of the State ofIsrael. President John F. Kennedy said that the great enemy of the truth was very often not the lie, but the myth - persistent, persuasive and unrealistic. Therefore, what are the real underlying causes of the instability in our region? The first root cause is Hamas, an organization committed to the destruction of the State of Israel. Hamas - an extremist terrorist organization - rejects our very existence. It believes that Israel has no right to exist within any borders.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“How many times have you heard, Madam President, that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the central conflict in the Middle East, that if you solve that conflict, you solve all the other conflicts in the region? Make no mistake, it is important for Israel and the Palestinians to resolve our long-standing dispute. It is important on its own merits so that Israelis and Palestinians alike can lead peaceful, secure and prosperous lives. But that can only be done through direct negotiation. As much as I look forward to the day when we will make peace, 1 can assure you, Madam President, that when that day comes, the Middle East will not magically transform into a stable and peaceful place.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“We opened border crossings and encouraged commerce because we wanted Gaza to succeed - for our sake and for the sake of the Palestinians. We hoped that it would serve as a model for two societies living side by side in peace. But it has not done that. Instead, Hamas has sought to fulfil the mission stated in its Charter, namely, that of destroying the State of Israel. Some have also suggested that settlements are the root cause of the conflict. There are many threats in our region, but the presence of Jewish homes in the Jewish homeland has never been one of them. From 1948 until 1967, the West Bank was part of Jordan and Gaza was part of Egypt - and throughout that time, our neighbours still sought our destruction. Nonetheless, some in the international community continue to cling to old myths.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“Those are the values that the United Nations was built upon and they are the values that the Organization should be upholding. And yet, as I listen to members of the international community speak about the root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it is clear that those values are not always the ones being championed. Madam President, how many times have you heard it said that the root cause of the conflict is the "occupation"? And how many times have you heard that Hamas fires rockets into Israel to oppose the occupation? It simply is not true - because Israel does not occupy Gaza. In 2005, Israel turned every inch of Gaza over to the Palestinians. We uprooted thousands of families from their homes and dismantled their businesses.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“As we speak, violent radical groups are waging a brutal and aggressive war in order to challenge the existing world order. It is no accident that the most dangerous extremist groups operate in the Middle East, a region plagued by intolerance and tyranny. They are taking advantage of the area's instability to advance their narrow interests and return the region to the Dark Ages. While many nations struggle to combat terrorist groups that are thousands of kilometres and oceans away, Israel finds those threats on its doorstep. The State of Israel is the only democracy between the Red Sea and the Caspian Sea. We have built a society based on democracy, freedom of speech, freedom of worship, the rule of law and the equal rights of all people.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“I congratulate you, Madam President, on the Argentine presidency of the Security Council this month and thank you for presiding over today's important debate and for your country's almost two years of service to the Security Council. I also thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his briefing, which we highly appreciate. Albert Einstein once said that the world was a dangerous place to live not because of people who were evil, but because of people who did nothing about it. There is no question that the world is a dangerous place to live. What many fail to realize is that it will remain dangerous - and become even more dangerous - unless we address the real root causes of this violence and instability, namely, the poisonous ideology of extremism.”
2014-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7281 (2014) · source
“Israel is on the frontline of the global war against radical Islamist terrorism. The entire civilized world has a stake in the outcome and must therefore support Israel's right to defend its citizens. Israel's fight against terrorism today will determine how we all live tomorrow. To do nothing and to say nothing in support of our efforts is to invite tyranny and terror into our own backyards. The international community must stand together, speak together and prevail together, so that all people everywhere can live in freedom.”
2014-07-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7222 (2014) · source
“Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah called Hamas leader Khaled Meshal to say: "Hizbullah and the Lebanese resistance support Hamas's strategy and the just conditions it has set for an end to the conflict". For years, we have warned the international community that Hizbullah was amassing tens of thousands of rockets and missiles. We were met with silence. Will you continue to remain silent? For years, we have told the international community that Hamas was building a terror stronghold in Gaza, and we have called on the international community to condemn the rocket fire. We were met with silence. For years, we have warned of the impending escalation, and the international community ignored us. Goethe was right. The hardest thing to see is what is before one's eyes.”
2014-07-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7222 (2014) · source
“Members of the international community have said that Israel has the right to defend its citizens, but when we exercise that right we are criticized. What do they expect us to do when terrorists are tunnelling into our communities? What do they expect us to do when our children are being kidnapped and murdered? What do you expect us to do when rockets are fired at our cities and our citizens cannot spend a single day without running to a bomb shelter? Iran is exerting its influence to attack Israel from the land, the sea and the air on every front. It is supplying Hamas with rockets in Gaza, it is standing by Al-Assad in Syria, and it is supplying Hizbullah with missiles in Lebanon. Some of those terrorist groups are now teaming up to form a terror dream team that is intent on making life a nightmare for millions of Israelis.”
2014-07-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7222 (2014) · source
“Israel spent four days warning Palestinians in northern Gaza that the military would soon enter their neighbourhoods to uproot Hamas. That gave Hamas four days to prepare an assault on our troops. Every time we drop a leaflet or make a phone call or send a text message warning of an imminent attack, we are endangering our own children so that we may keep their children safe. As we have said before, Israel has no interest in being in Gaza. We are fighting in Gaza, but we are not fighting the people of Gaza. The equation is simple - when it is quiet in Israel, it will be quiet in Gaza. The goal of our operation is to eliminate the rockets, shut down the terror tunnels and demilitarize Gaza in order to restore sustained quiet to the people of Israel.”
2014-07-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7222 (2014) · source
“Israel is doing its utmost to avoid harming civilians because we believe that every innocent life lost is a tragedy. We deeply regret the losses, but the blame lies with Hamas for hiding behind civilians and using them as human shields. The IDF is fully committed to upholding the rule of law and is operating only against terrorist targets. It is taking steps that no other nation at any time in history has taken. What other nation supplies millions of tons of humanitarian aid or sets up a field hospital to treat the wounded on the other side, even as its enemy fires on it indiscriminately? What other nation sends messages to warn exactly where it will strike, giving the enemy time to set booby traps and deploy snipers?”
2014-07-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7222 (2014) · source
“Hamas's strategy is clear. It sees every Palestinian victim of this conflict as fuel for a propaganda machine. The purpose of that machine is to push the international community into pressuring Israel to grant Hamas's demands. Sadly, many people have fallen for that cynical campaign. All those who argue that both sides are equally to blame are playing into Hamas's hand and inviting a ruthless radical group to continue its campaign of terror. I want to remind the Council that that terror organization sits in the Palestinian unity Government. President Abbas has a choice to make. He can continue to remain silent and stand in support of Hamas. Or he can assume the mantle of leadership by dissolving the unity Government. The choice is his 4 to be a part of the problem or to be part of the solution.”
2014-07-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7222 (2014) · source
“The fact that Hamas directs its budget underground rather than above ground proves that it is more interested in warfare than in the welfare of the Palestinian people. Hamas violates international law and brutally abuses the people of Gaza. It sends innocent men, women and children to stand on the roofs of their homes so as to shield the terrorists firing rockets from their living rooms and bedrooms below. It builds bunkers for its leaders, but refuses to build bomb shelters for civilians. It fires rockets from mosques and schools deep inside densely populated neighbourhoods. And it has set up its headquarters inside a Gaza hospital, where Hamas leaders can be seen walking through the hallways. Rather than taking steps to avoid civilian casualties, Hamas has stepped up its attacks in the hopes ofcreating even more casualties.”
2014-07-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7222 (2014) · source
“They fired a rocket-propelled grenade at Israeli military jeeps, killing two soldiers before retreating back underground. A few hours later, two more terrorists entered Israel using a tunnel. They were carrying tranquillizers and handcuffs and were on a mission to kidnap Israelis. For years, the international community has criticized Israel for restricting the entry of construction materials into Gaza. Now we know what those building materials are actually being used for. All this time, the international community thought that it was sending money to develop social services or political institutions or economic structures. In truth, the aid dollars that were sent were only aiding Hamas to build its terror stronghold.”
2014-07-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7222 (2014) · source
“In the past week, dozens of heavily armed terrorists have used those very tunnels to infiltrate Israel. What do you expect Israel to do when terrorists in Shujaiya are as close to Kibbutz Nahal Oz as this Chamber is to the Metropolitan Museum of Art? Imagine what it is like for Israelis living near Gaza to know that there are dozens of hidden tunnels leading to the doorstep of their communities. Imagine What it is like to fall asleep wondering if a terrorist is tunnelling under your home or to wake up and wonder if your children will be safe on their way to school. Just yesterday, heavily armed Hamas terrorists emerged from a tunnel only 200 metres from a kindergarten. Over the weekend, eight Palestinian terrorists emerged from a tunnel almost 300 metres inside Israel, armed with automatic weapons and wearing Israeli military uniforms.”
2014-07-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7222 (2014) · source
“In Gaza, there are two cities: a city above ground, and a city below ground. Eighteen metres below the Strip are kilometres of dense terror tunnels crisscrossing like a giant web. Hamas has built a vast underground terror network, reinforced with thousands of tons of concrete and supported by massive beams. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh recently declared that the tunnels opened "a new strategy in confronting the enemy from underground". Since entering Gaza, the IDF has uncovered 23 tunnels with over 66 different entry points, many of which are under homes and schools. No site is off- limits for Hamas. One of the tunnels exposed over the weekend began under a family home and was packed with explosives. Hamas is using its extensive tunnel system to carry out a series of deadly attacks.”
2014-07-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7222 (2014) · source
“The Egyptian Foreign Minister, Sameh Hassan Shokry Selim, stated: "Had Hamas accepted the Egyptian proposal, it could have saved the lives of Palestinians". Let me make the picture very, very clear. Palestinian civilian casualties are a direct result ofHamas's decision to continue to send rockets and terrorists towards Israel while putting their civilians up front to protect their so-called leaders and their terrorists. The leaders of the Palestinian Authority and their delegations today refused to stand up and say to Hamas, "Stopl". In the past month alone, Israel has been attacked on four fronts. Rockets have been fired from Lebanon, from Syria, from Sinai, and Hamas has launched an all-out assault from Gaza. In addition to firing rockets, Hamas has now developed a new strategy to wage war against Israel.”
2014-07-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7222 (2014) · source
“We will never grow used to seeing our children in army uniforms, and we will never, ever - we refuse to - become accustomed to burying our sons and daughters, as too many Israelis have had to do since Hamas dragged us into this conflict. Israel did not want this war. Three times - three different times - Israel agreed to accept a ceasefire, and every single time Hamas refused and launched even more rockets. Each of those rockets sends a message loud and clear: Hamas is determined to wage war. Even when the United Nations and the Red Cross asked Hamas to hold its fire so they could assist its own Palestinian civilians, Hamas refused. Once again, Hamas proved that it has no regard for the well-being of the Palestinian people.”
2014-07-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7222 (2014) · source
“Trust me when I say that Gaza is the very last place we want our soldiers to be - the very last place. This is not a war we chose. It was our last resort. Hamas has sent suicide bombers into our cafes and onto our buses. It has sent armed terrorists through tunnels into our homes and schools, and it has launched over 12,000 missiles and rockets towards our towns and cities in the last 10 years. Israel is a small country, and every single person has been affected by terrorism. Israelis may have grown up with this threat in our backyard, but we have never and will never grow used to it. We will never grow used to the sound of sirens or the roar of rockets overhead.”
2014-07-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7222 (2014) · source
“These violent factions share a disdain for democracies, contempt for modernity and a willingness to target innocent civilians. It is no accident that most of these extremist groups operate in the Middle East, a region plagued by instability and intolerance, dictators and disorder, tyranny and terrorism. Within the region, one nation stands apart. The State of Israel is the only liberal democracy between the Red Sea and the Caspian Sea. We are on the front line, fighting radical Islamist terrorism. The struggle that we face today is a preview of the struggle that the rest of the civilized world will likely face tomorrow. Even as we speak, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are fighting to rid Gaza of the Hamas military infrastructure, which has terrorized the Israeli people and devastated the Palestinian people for well over a decade.”
2014-07-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7222 (2014) · source
“Before I begin, I should like to thank the Secretary-General for his briefing and for his efforts in the region, and to also thank you, Mr. President, for presiding over this debate. Two centuries ago, the great German writer and statesman Goethe said: "The hardest thing to see is what is in front of your eyes". Look around the world today and you will see that the primary threat to global peace and security is staring the Council right in the face. From Buenos Aires to Brussels and from Benghazi to Boston, no nation is immune to the threat of radical Islamist terrorism. Armed with dangerous ideologies and deadly weapons, violent radicals are waging a war to destroy lives and destroy our way of life. We have, unfortunately, become all too familiar with their names - ISIS, Al-Qaida, Boko Haram, Hizbullah and Hamas.”
2014-07-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7222 (2014) · source
“Israeli experts have contributed their expertise on a range of issues, from terrorist financing to forensic investigation and from aviation security to border protection. Those activities reflect our fundamental belief that terrorism can only be effectively confronted through international cooperation. There is a specific kind of ecosystem that creates terrorism. It is seeded in hate, watered with instability and cultivated by rogue regimes. As an international community, we must attack the roots of terrorist infrastructure and stem the flow of arms and money from its sponsors. Working together, we can abolish the weapons of war before they abolish us.”
2014-05-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7184 (2014) · source
“CTED has done an excellent job monitoring the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001), which Israel fully implements and which constitutes the centrepiece of the United Nations efforts to create a robust counter-terrorism system. We support the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy, which is currently being negotiated. Israel believes that all four pillars of the Strategy must be treated as a whole. Israel also recently submitted its periodic report in accordance with resolution 1540 (2004) . In Israel, the threat of terrorism is not theoretical. It is prevalent and it is persistent. Out of necessity, we have become experts in the field of counter-terrorism and are sharing our knowledge with Governments throughout the world.”
2014-05-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7184 (2014) · source
“Syria has become the foremost academy for both Sunni and Shiite terrorists, teaching the philosophy of fundamentalism, the engineering of explosives and the calculus of chaos. The international community must stand firm in combating terrorism. Terrorism cannot be justified on any grounds or for any reason, and it must be condemned in all its forms and manifestations. The Counter-Terrorism Committee, the Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee and the 1540 Committee all remain essential parts of the global effort to isolate terrorists and deny them the means to inflict harm. Israel attaches great importance to the work of the United Nations counter-terrorism agencies and commends the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) for its ongoing contribution to coordinating action against terrorism.”
2014-05-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7184 (2014) · source
“That time, it was a ship carrying rockets bound for Tel Aviv. Next time, it could be carrying a bomb meant for a capital city in Europe or Asia or the Americas. Iran is not easily discouraged, and it continues to fan the flames of conflict across the Middle East. In Syria, where the worst humanitarian crisis of this generation is taking place, Iran has sent terrorist groups from Lebanon and Iraq to fight alongside the brutal Al-Assad regime. Directing this network is Qasem Soleimani, the chief of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's Quds Force. Thousands of foreign fighters from all over Europe and the Middle East have joined Al-Qaida in Syria and are aggravating sectarian tensions in the region.”
2014-05-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7184 (2014) · source
“Those groups are responsible for attacks throughout the world, from Burgas and Buenos Aires to Bangkok. Just last month, authorities in Thailand foiled a plan by Hizbullah agents to attack Israeli tourists. Hizbullah has built its arsenal to unprecedented levels, amassing over 80,000 deadly missiles and rockets, which it stores throughout Lebanon in schools, homes and hospitals. In doing so, it is committing a double war crime: first by using Lebanese civilians as human shields; and secondly by targeting Israeli civilians. Both Hamas and Hizbullah receive funding and support from the world's primary sponsor of terrorism, Iran. In March, the Israeli Defense Forces intercepted a cargo ship, the KLOS C, sent by Iran and carrying advanced weaponry destined for the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. The KLOS C was a close call.”
2014-05-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7184 (2014) · source
“Since the beginning of this year, over 100 rockets have been fired from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip into southern Israel. Hamas now seeks the veneer of international legitimacy by partnering with Fatah. In case the Council thinks Hamas has changed its tune, 48 hours after forging a unity agreement, Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal stated, "Our path is resistance and jihad is our choice", and if anyone had any further doubt, he also stated, "This is the original Palestinian strategy". It is clear from that statement that lending support to the Hamas-Abbas partnership is the same as lending legitimacy to terror attacks against Israel. The reach of terrorist organizations has grown dramatically and dangerously. Israelis have become the targets of an Iranian terror campaign executed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Hizbullah.”
2014-05-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7184 (2014) · source
“Israel welcomes the inclusion of Boko Haram on the sanctions list of the Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011) concerning Al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities, but there is still much more work to be done. In its 66-year history, Israel has not known a single day free from terrorism. With every siren that wails, every report of a terrorist attack and even every car backfiring, our hearts miss a beat. There is not a family in Israel that does not know the bitter taste of tragedy. This past weekend, a gunman stormed the Jewish Museum of Belgium in Brussels, killing Dominique Chabrier, a French citizen; Alexandre Strens, a Belgian citizen; and Emanuel and Miriam Riva, two Israeli citizens. That horrific act proves yet again that both anti-Semitism and terrorism are not confined by national borders.”
2014-05-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7184 (2014) · source
“I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for presiding over this important meeting. We would also like to express our gratitude to the Permanent Representatives of Lithuania, Australia and the Republic of Korea for chairing the Committees and for their comprehensive briefings. Israel believes that the United Nations counter-terrorism Committees are essential to global efforts to isolate terrorists. We appreciate their dedicated work, along with that of other relevant agencies. For the past month, the world's attention has been focused on the kidnapping of hundreds of girls from a school in north-eastern Nigeria by Boko Haram. When our children are not safe in their schools and our families are not safe in their homes, then we, as an international community, have failed.”
2014-05-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7184 (2014) · source