05 October 2004
U.S. Says U.N. Draft Resolution on Gaza Encourages Terrorism
Text: Amb. Danforth's UNSC remarks Oct. 5 on Mideast vote
Vetoing an Arab-sponsored draft resolution on Israeli military operations in Gaza, U.S. Ambassador John Danforth said October 5 that the text lacked credibility and balance, was dangerously disingenuous, and ultimately would embolden terrorists and encourage counterattacks.
The draft resolution demanded the immediate cessation of all Israeli military operations in the area of northern Gaza and the withdrawal of Israeli forces. It condemned Israel's military incursions and attacks in northern Gaza. The vote was 11 in favor, the United States against and Germany, Romania, and the United Kingdom abstaining.
Addressing the council before the vote, Danforth said that the resolution did not mention the Qassam rocket attacks against Israel, the Israeli children and civilians killed, the fact that terrorists hide among Palestinian civilians provoking their deaths, or "the complete failure of the Palestinian Authority to meet its commitments to establish security among its people."
"The silence here today is deafening," the ambassador said. "When the rest of the world gangs up on Israel with insidious silence about terrorism, it does not advance the cause of peace. It encourages both sides to dig in; it makes Israel feel isolated and backed into a corner and it discourages dialogue."
The U.S. approach is to recognize that both sides must renounce violence, recommit to the roadmap for Mideast peace, and move quickly to establish a Palestinian state, Danforth said.
Following is the text of the ambassador's remarks:
(begin transcript)
Explanation of Vote by Ambassador John C. Danforth, U.S. Representative to the United Nations, on the Resolution Addressing the Situation in the Middle East, in the Security Council, October 5, 2004.
We have before us yet another resolution regarding the Middle East situation...And, once again, the resolution is lopsided and unbalanced; it is dangerously disingenuous because of its many material omissions. Because of this lack of balance, because of these omissions, the resolution lacks credibility and deserves a "no" vote.
As you consider the current resolution, I ask you to perform a simple analysis. Consider first what the resolution says, and then what it fails to say. The resolution "condemns" Israel's military actions in Gaza; it criticizes "incursions" into the Jabaliya refugee camp; it condemns Israeli acts of "destruction," and it laments "extensive human casualties" among Palestinians. It "demands" that Israel, as the "occupying power," withdraw its forces immediately. Tough words.
The United States has no problem with tough words, but only when they are accurate and there is balance.
Now consider what this resolution does not say. It does not mention even one of the 450 Qassam rocket attacks launched against Israel over the past two years. It does not mention two hundred rockets launched this year alone. It does not mention the two Israeli children who were outside playing last week when a rocket suddenly crashed into their young bodies. It does not mention the undisputed fact that Qassam rockets have no military purpose -- that they are crude, imprecise devices of terror designed to kill civilians. It does not mention that Hamas took "credit" for killing these Israeli children and maiming many other Israeli civilians -- calling these deaths and woundings a "victory." It does not mention that the terrorists hide among Palestinian civilians, provoking their deaths, and then use those deaths as fodder for their hatred, lawlessness, and efforts to derail the peace process. It does not mention the complete failure of the Palestinian authority to meet its commitments to establish security among its people. It does not mention any of these facts, nor does it acknowledge the legitimate need for Israel to defend itself. The resolution is totally lacking in balance.
There is an old saying that silence indicates consent. The silence here today is deafening. I said yesterday, and I reiterate today, that when the rest of the world gangs up on Israel with insidious silence about terrorism, it does not advance the cause of peace. It encourages both sides to dig in; it makes Israel feel isolated and backed into a corner, and it discourages dialogue.
The approach of the United States is to recognize that both sides need to renounce violence, that both sides need to recommit to the roadmap, and that both sides need to move quickly to establish a Palestinian state. But until the Palestinians and those claiming to act in their name stop their use of indiscriminate acts of terror, Israel will likely continue to track down the terrorists wherever they may hide, often with the tragic, but unintended result of civilian casualties.
My friend Ambassador Baali reminded me that it is very important to take an even-handed approach when it comes to describing civilian casualties. Civilian casualties are always tragic. The death of children is especially tragic. It is tragic when they are Israeli children; it is tragic when they are Israeli civilians. It is tragic when they are Palestinian children, and Palestinian civilians. But where the death of civilians is intentional, but where the death of civilians is the sole purpose of the attack, it is not only tragic it is reprehensible.
The resolution today not only encourages the terrorists; it will not do anything prevent the predictable Israeli response. Ultimately, a resolution like this emboldens terrorists, encourages counterattacks, and contributes to the ultimate terrorist goal of derailing the peace process.
The Security Council should reverse the incessant stream of one anti-Israel resolution after the other, and apply pressure even handedly, on both sides, to return to the road to peace. The United States will vote "no" on this resolution.
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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