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Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Amb Prosor at UN Security Council on Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict 12-Feb-2013

The EU must find the moral and political courage to place Hezbollah on its
list of terrorist organizations.

Amb Prosor at UN Security Council on Protection of Civilians in Armed
Conflict

MFA 12 Feb 2013

Hezbollah remains conspicuously absent from the European Union's list of
recognized terrorist organizations. Hezbollah's sole purpose - its raison
d'etre - is to commit terrorist acts both inside and outside the Middle
East.

Mr. President,

At the outset, allow me to express my appreciation to you for convening this
open debate. Your presence is a testament to the importance that the
Republic of Korea places on "the protection of civilians in armed
conflict" - a subject of great significance to the international community.

Mr. President,

Eight months have passed since our last debate in these halls on "the
protection of civilians in armed conflict." Since then, the death toll in
Syria has quadrupled - from 14,000 in June to over 60,000 now. The civilians
caught in the crosshairs of the Assad regime continue to cry out for
protection. Every one of those cries that goes unanswered highlights our
failures.

Today, my thoughts are with the students of Aleppo University, who were
indiscriminately slaughtered by the Syrian military last month because of
the school's reputation as the "university of the revolution."

They are with Sayyad Ali, who fled Syria in December and now lives with his
family in a tent in an abandoned part of northern Lebanon. He is just one of
over 800,000 Syrians who have fled the Assad regime since 2011. Across the
Middle East, they are being forced to bear the harsh storms of winter with
the most meager of shelter and provisions. For these refugees, the only
thing more painful than the cold weather they experience is the cold
shoulder they receive from the international community.

The clock is ticking. Every day that passes before this Council takes firm
and decisive action in Syria is another day that countless civilians lose
their lives - and countless more lose hope. Those of us sitting here today
must begin speaking loudly, clearly, and unequivocally against the horrors
of the Assad government. The ophthalmologist from Damascus cannot continue
blinding us to his crimes.

Mr. President,

Assad is not alone. On his advisory board sits Hezbollah chief Hassan
Nasrallah, who gives him guidance on how to slaughter civilians more
effectively. With the blessings of Iran, its patron saint, Hezbollah has
provided arms, training, and logistical support for tens of thousands of
Assad's men. It has assisted the Syrian military in cracking down on
dissidents so that Assad can cling to power.

Iran's arm extends from Syria into Lebanon, where it has helped Hezbollah
amass 50,000 missiles - more than many NATO members - and transform the
Lebanese state into an outpost for terror. Hezbollah intentionally places
its arms in civilian areas, using the entire population of Lebanon as a
human shield. Its idea of "investing in the next generation" is to stockpile
its weaponry in the immediate vicinity of schools and playgrounds.

Hezbollah's reign of terror extends far beyond the Middle East. Its
fingerprints have been identified on attacks in all five continents, from
Kenya to Argentina to Thailand. Last week, Bulgarian authorities also
identified Hezbollah as the culprit behind the July bus bombing in Burgas,
which killed five Israelis and one Bulgarian citizen. This was the deadliest
attack on European soil since 2005.

Despite this, however, Hezbollah remains conspicuously absent from the
European Union's list of recognized terrorist organizations. In fact, many
states - including some in this hall - continue to classify Hezbollah as a
charity. Not since Napoleon invaded Russia has the European continent seen
such an astonishing lack of foresight.

Make no mistake: Hezbollah's sole purpose - its raison d'etre - is to commit
terrorist acts both inside and outside the Middle East. Calling Hezbollah a
charity is like calling al Qaida an urban-planning organization because of
its desire to level tall buildings.

Some European lawmakers continue to bend over backwards attempting to
differentiate between Hezbollah’s military and political wings. This is an
exercise in futility. The only "difference" between these two wings is that
the political wing negotiates the sum of drug cartel money that the military
wing later uses to purchase weaponry. It does not take a Nobel Peace Prize
laureate to realize that we are not exactly dealing with a selfless
humanitarian organization.

One does not need the fortitude of Richard the Lionheart to do the right
thing here. The EU must find the moral and political courage to place
Hezbollah on its list of terrorist organizations. It must send a clear
message that Hezbollah can no longer target its citizens with impunity. The
voices of the victims of Hezbollah terror call on us to take collective
action - and work together to bankrupt the world's most dangerous "charity".

Mr. President,

We have held many debates in these halls on the "protection of civilians."
It is now our responsibility to transform those words into direct and
concrete action. The numbers of civilian casualties across the globe grow on
a daily basis. We cannot allow our indifference to those numbers to grow
alongside them.

Today I urge this Council to heed the simple yet immortal words of Edmund
Burke (and I quote): "The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for
good men to do nothing."

Thank you, Mr. President.

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