On Friday, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Gilad Erdan and the Permanent Mission of Israel to the UN held a special solidarity event for Israel featuring families of Hamas hostages taken captive during the terror organization’s barbaric attack last Saturday. The event was held before the Security Council was scheduled to meet on the Israel - Hamas war.
At the beginning of the event, a short video was screened showing the atrocities committed by Hamas on innocent civilians including women, children, and the elderly and explaining why Hamas is the same as ISIS. During the event, Ambassador Erdan, the United States Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield, and family members of the hostages, Yoni Asher, Alana and Liam Zeitchik, and Rabbi Burton Visotzky spoke.
Ambassador Erdan thanked the many dozens of ambassadors from countries all over the world who came to show support and sympathy for Israel. The participating countries included the U.S., Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Chile, Cyprus, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Gabon, Greece, Guatemala, Italy, Latvia, Romania, Poland, Serbia and many more.
In his speech, Ambassador Erdan harshly attacked the UN. He said, “For years the UN has put its head in the sand. As resources and funds poured into Gaza and went straight into Hamas’ terror coffers – the UN stayed silent. As Hamas dug terror tunnels under residential neighborhoods – the UN stayed silent. While Gazan schools and hospitals became Hamas rocket launchpads – the UN stayed silent! And now that Israel gives Gaza’s civilian population advanced warning to evacuate areas, as we cherish life and do all that we can to minimize civilian casualties, the UN prefers to condemn these preventive actions, rather than praise them. And again, put pressure on the side defending civilization. This is absurd. Terrifyingly absurd. The UN claims to want to minimize collateral damage, but in the same breath condemns civilian evacuation. What we all hear is not the UN’s concern for civilians. What we hear is the UN’s indifference to the murder of 1,300 Israelis. The UN is making it clear that it does not want Israel to defend itself.”
The Ambassador also said, “For eighteen years, Hamas has ruled the Gaza Strip and for eighteen years they have exploited every inch to turn Gaza into their terror machine. They squandered all humanitarian resources for their war chest. They ripped water pipes out of the ground to turn them into rockets. They indoctrinated their children to hate and promote terror. We all saw the thousands of Gazans cheering as they paraded bodies and women that were raped through the streets. Hamas was democratically elected by the people of Gaza. We should not forget this! Hamas, the genocidal Jihadist terror group, bears the sole responsibility for everything that happens in Gaza.”
The Ambassador addressed the dozens of ambassadors who came to the event: “Try to put yourselves in the shoes of those suffering. What if your child – your baby – was being held in Gaza by a genocidal Jihadist organization? What if it was your parents? What would you do? What would your country do?”
The Ambassador said, “Israel is fully committed to bringing the hostages home and to obliterating Hamas’ terror capabilities.”
The event ended with Hatikvah, Israel’s national anthem, performed by Noa Kirel.