Amb Prosor addresses special UN General Assembly session on Gaza
06 Aug 2014
For video
http://youtu.be/l-tId5SzYzQ

Mr. President,

Winston Churchill, one of the great architects of this institution, is
remembered for his remarkable ability to perceive danger long before the
rest of the world had woken up to the fact. In 1935, four years before World
War II, Churchill criticized the international community for standing by as
Germany rapidly rearmed. In his words: "The family of nations suffered from
a want of foresight, an unwillingness to act when action would be simple and
effective, and a lack of clear thinking and confusion of counsel until the
emergency comes, until self-preservation strikes its jarring gong."

The international community is once again facing the severe lack of
foresight and unwillingness to see. Every day we are confronted by stories
of radical Islamic terrorism: ISIS is purging Iraq of Christians, Boko Haram
has kidnapped school girls in Nigeria, Al-Shabab gunmen are raiding fishing
villages on the Somali coast. And yet this Assembly does not utter a word.
It can only muster its outrage when Israel acts to defend its citizens.

The double standards are absolutely appalling. In Iraq, over 1,600 people
were killed in July. In Libya, clashes between rival militias killed 200
people last month. In Nigeria, Boko Haram has slaughtered nearly 3,000
people this year. It may just be me, but I didn't hear the Arab group rally
to condemn these atrocities. Instead, this group gangs up against the only
democratic nation in the Middle East that is defending its citizens from the
totalitarian forces threatening every enlightened country in this Assembly.

It might be too much to ask you to stand on our side in this battle between
civilization and barbarism. But at least have the decency to swallow your
selective outrage as Israel wages war against the extremist groups, seeking
to eradicate the values that we all hold very dear.

Mr. President,

Israel is on the frontline of the war against radical extremism. The battle
we fight today is the same battle that you all will fight tomorrow. Hamas,
like ISIS and al-Qaeda, shares a disdain for democracy, a contempt for
modernity, and a willingness to target innocent civilians.

And yet, some of you have abandoned the only democracy in the Middle East
standing against the tide of terrorism. What does this say about your
values? What does it mean for the next generation? This institution is being
held hostage by some in this Assembly who are the worst human rights
abusers.

The Arab nations, backed by some members of the non-aligned movement, may
have the numbers, but they don't have the morals. They use the majority to
convene special sessions, issue condemnations, and push through resolutions
demonizing Israel. In fact, I won't be surprised if the Arab states pass a
resolution saying that the terror tunnels were actually simply an irrigation
system, and that the rockets were nothing more than shooting stars.

Few nations have the courage to admit that Hamas is committing a double war
crime, targeting Israeli civilians while hiding behind Palestinian
civilians. Fewer still have the courage to admit that Hamas is willing to
see its own children killed so it can build sympathy for its cause. By not
vocally and unequivocally condemning Hamas, you are condemning another
generation of Israelis and Palestinians to further suffering.

There is only one way to achieve sustained quiet in Israel and build a
peaceful and prosperous Gaza. Hamas must be disarmed, Gaza must be
demilitarized. And the international community must divorce itself from the
romantic notion of Hamas as 'freedom fighters'.

Seventy years ago Winston Churchill bemoaned what he saw as the inability of
mankind to act until the emergency comes. Today I am here to issue a
warning: Stand with Israel and stand against terror before it is too late,
before the danger lands on your doorstep and self-preservation strikes its
jarring gong.

Thank you Mr. President.
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