UN Discussion

Photo: Yaron Brener
Dan Gillerman Photo: Yaron Brener

Photo: AFP
UN Assembly. Majority expected Photo: AFP

Photo: AFP
Blood in Beit Hanoun Photo: AFP

# Weekly Israel news summary

Gillerman: UN hijacked by evil forces

United Nations General Assembly discusses Arab states' demand to establish 'committee to look into facts' of Beit Hanoun incident. Israel's UN ambassador rejects demand, says session is cynical use, abuse of UN

Yitzhak Benhorin
Published: 11.17.06, 19:22

WASHINGTON – The United Nations General Assembly on Friday evening discussed a proposal to establish a "committee to look into the facts" of the Beit Hanoun incident , in which 19 Palestinians were killed.

The proposal was submitted by Arab states, which sought to bypass the United States' veto on a Security Council resolution on the issue. According to estimates, the proposal will be adopted by a large majority.

Israel's Ambassador to the UN Dan Gillerman slammed the proposal, saying that the General Assembly has been hijacked by the evil forces. He added that the session was a cynical use and abuse of the UN.

"This bloodshed can stop in one second. If terror stops, there will not be one single victim, Israeli or Palestinian. End the violence, and Israel never again needs not engage in self-defense," the ambassador said.

Gillerman warned: "I caution everyone who will support this resolution. By doing so, you will be an accomplice to terror. The blood of more innocents will be on your hands.

"I urge all of you to ask yourself, if your country was subject to this brutal and vicious terror, what would you do?"

The Israeli ambassador then turned to the French representative and asked, "If France was shelled from across the border, what would the French do? Would the French government send flowers to their attackers?"