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

H.E. Mr. Ricardo Alberto Arias
President of the Security Council
The United Nations
New York

Excellency,

It is with grave concern that I write to inform you that Mr. Roni Yihye, a 47 year-old father of four, was murdered today after a Qassam rocket, fired by Palestinian terrorists in the Gaza Strip, landed in a parking lot near Sapir College in southern Israel. No less than 22 Qassam rockets were fired during the day, striking in and around the town of Sderot. The latest barrage included 11 rockets, which were launched successively in a span of less than five minutes. The Hamas terrorist organization claimed responsibility.

Today’s Qassam rocket fire came just days after Palestinian terrorists injured 10 year-old Yossi Haimov, this past Monday, on 25 February, in Sderot. Yossi and his eight year-old sister, Maria, were playing outside a friend’s house when a Qassam rocket slammed into the backyard.

Excellency, the fact that my delegation is forced to write and inform you of these Palestinian terrorist attacks with alarming regularity should not be mistaken for routine procedure. There is nothing mundane about Palestinian terrorism; it is a deadly force with devastating real-world consequences. Palestinian terrorism can never be justified or explained, especially amidst calls for equivalence and parity, as we recently heard. The security threats that Israel faces arise from a situation where armed terrorists like Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist organizations intentionally target Israeli civilians. Hence, the State of Israel is obligated and will continue to defend its citizens, in accordance with its inherent right, like any other nation, under article 51 of the United Nations Charter. Hamas’ firing of rockets at Israeli civilians from within populated Palestinian areas is a war crime that harms both Israelis and Palestinians. While Israel takes the necessary measures to protect all civilian populations and ensure their humanitarian needs, Hamas takes the necessary measures to cause the utmost death and destruction. Moreover, Palestinian terrorists, like Hamas, are backed with the full support of some States, in violation of international law.

The unremitting and indiscriminate Qassam rocket fire has levied an insufferable toll on the civilian population of southern Israel, triggering a severe humanitarian situation there. The safety, security, and stability of all citizens in our region will remain in peril so long as Palestinian terrorism continues unabated. Hence, the Palestinian leadership must stop the violence, dismantle the terrorist infrastructure, end the cycle of impunity, and bring the terrorists to justice.

I should be grateful if you would have this letter circulated as a 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. Mr. Ricardo Alberto Arias, 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.