H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon
Secretary-General
The United Nations
New York

H.E. Sir John Sawers
President of the Security Council
The United Nations
New York

I write to inform you of a terrorist attack that occurred earlier today, in which one Israeli civilian was killed from a Qassam rocket fired by Palestinian terrorists in the Gaza Strip.

An Israeli citizen, a woman of seventy, was killed after a Qassam rocket hit a home in Moshav Yesha. The city lies 15 kilometers east of Gaza, displaying an expanded range for these lethal attacks. Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility.

To our chagrin, this letter follows our correspondence just this past Friday, in which I regretfully informed Your Excellency of another Israeli civilian death in a rocket attack, that one at the hands of Hamas, the ruling party in Gaza since June 2007.  As the ruling party, Hamas remains accountable for the relentless, vicious attacks on Israel’s citizens.

The fatalities book-ended a weekend of severe hostilities, as no fewer than twenty one Qassam rockets struck the Western Negev on Saturday, and three more landed on Sunday.  One of the rockets on Sunday narrowly missed a school bus carrying children.  Two additional rockets were fired earlier today, both believed to be Grad missiles, and one missed by mere minutes an area crowded with school-children.

Excellency, my delegation has repeatedly pressed the United Nations to denounce all acts of violence and terrorism, and condemn States that aid and abet terrorists groups, which violates their obligations under international law, as well as Security Council resolutions. Israel will not stand idly by as its citizens are under constant attack, and reserves the right to defend itself from all armed attacks, as any other nation would, according to its inherent right under article 51 of the United Nations Charter.

I should be grateful if you would have this letter circulated as an official document of the sixty-second session of the General Assembly, under agenda items 17, “Situation in the Middle East”, and 18, “Question of Palestine”, and of the Security Council. An identical letter has been sent to H.E. Sir John Sawers, President of the Security Council.

Allow me, Excellency, to renew to you the assurances of my highest consideration.

Yours truly,
 

Daniel Carmon
Ambassador
Chargé d’Affaires, a.i.