Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan spoke today (Tuesday) in the Security Council after the United States vetoed a proposed resolution presented by Algeria calling for a ceasefire which would keep Hamas in power.
Ambassador Erdan criticized the Council members who voted for and supported the resolution, “For the past 137 days, the only solution discussed on the international stage is this absurd notion of a ceasefire. Will a ceasefire bring home the hostages? Will a ceasefire eliminate Hamas? Will a ceasefire disarm Hezbollah, the Houthis, and all the other Iranian terrorist proxies in our region?"
"With a ceasefire in place, Hamas will regroup, rearm, and their next attempted genocide against Israelis will only be a question of when, not if…a 4-year-old and a baby were taken hostage by Hamas, and most of you choose to support a ceasefire? Why do you want to leave them in Gaza? Do you not see how immoral that is and what kind of precedent this would set for terrorists around the globe? Did you think about baby Kfir when you voted on this resolution? A resolution that would ensure that Kfir, along with 133 other hostages, remain in dark terror tunnels?” he demanded.
Ambassador Erdan emphasized the damage in the proposed resolution, “Your calls for a ceasefire empower Hamas, giving them hope to stay in power. This does not ensure security – it prevents it!”
Ambassador Erdan also rebuked the representatives of the member states, “You truly want a ceasefire? Well, Israel also wants a ceasefire! Your children are not the ones that are falling in battle against bloodthirsty terrorists – they’re ours! If Hamas survives, it will be our children that Hamas will murder in cold blood again. Israel seeks a ceasefire, but there is only one formula that we are willing to accept. All of our hostages must be released and Hamas must turn themselves in.”
The Ambassador expressed shock at the Council’s failure to condemn Hamas, “Not condemning Hamas’ atrocities has now become a tradition here. It’s tragic…One day, when historians study the reasons why the UN lost its standing and influence, the inability of this organization to condemn terrorists that slaughter children will be one of the driving factors. Mark my words.”
In his speech, Ambassador Erdan conveyed a message to members of the Security Council that Israel may be forced to act in Lebanon within weeks, “For years, Israel has called for this Council to impose the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701, yet for years, the UN has opted for the ‘ostrich tactic.’ Tragically, this is no longer a situation that can be ignored. The clock is ticking. It is not a matter of years, but weeks before Israel will be forced to implement Resolution 1701 ourselves…Over 2,000 Hezbollah missiles and rockets have rained down on the cities of Israel’s north. And nearly 100,000 residents of northern Israel have been displaced due to the threat posed by Hezbollah – with Iran’s backing…The clock is ticking, and sadly, we will be forced to take decisive action. Terror will never be tolerated.”
Ambassador Erdan also referred to the revelation of UNRWA’s involvement in the crimes of Hamas, “Israel exposed terror tunnels under UNRWA schools and supplied evidence of Hamas’ exploitation of UNRWA. I personally sent letters to the Commissioner-General and the Secretary-General. We implored them, for years, to carry out a comprehensive search of all UNRWA facilities in Gaza, yet not only did they refuse, they chose to bury their heads in the sand and ignore reality. This is why every report, statement, or number provided by the UN cannot be trusted. In Gaza, Hamas is the UN, and the UN is Hamas!”