13 March 2012

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

Excellency,

More than 75 rockets have been fired into Israeli communities from Gaza in the past day. More than 250 rockets have been fired since last Friday. That's one rocket every twenty minutes. Israeli civilians have less than 15 seconds to find shelter from these attacks.

The lives of 1,000,000 Israeli civilians are paralyzed. 200,000 Israeli children are out of school.

During your trip to Israel last month, you met these children and saw these areas with your own eyes. Yesterday, you told the Security Council, "Rocket attacks out of Gaza against Israeli civilian areas are unacceptable and must stop immediately." Yet, the Security Council has uttered zero words of condemnation of these attacks.

There is something wrong with this equation. It is time for the Security Council to speak with one voice against the terrorism that continues to flow from Gaza.

The situation is grave. If one rocket lands in the wrong place at the wrong time, Israel will be forced to respond in a completely different manner.

I wish to inform you that an identical letter has been sent to H.E. Sir Mark Lyall Grant, President of the Security Council.

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

Yours truly,
[Signed]
Ron Prosor
Ambassador
Permanent Representative

* * *

11 March 2012

Excellency,

I write this letter as one million people in southern Israel continue to be terrorized yet another weekend fearing for their lives, enduring barrage after barrage of rocket attacks. During the past 48 hours, over 150 rockets were fired at Israeli communities, including over 40 grad missiles. These rockets are targeted at civilians- one of them falling directly on a school. I ask you, Excellency, to picture how different the current situation would be if the children would have been in school aj the time the rocket fell.

In previous letters, the latest of which was sent just a few days ago, we warned of the dangers of inaction by the international community. We alerted the Council that these attacks had the potential to ignite a serious escalation of the conflict, which could affect the entire region. The events of the last two days have proven the danger of silence on behalf of the international community at large, and the Security Council, in particular.

For the sake of security and stability in our region, the Security Council and all responsible members of the international community must immediately and unequivocally condemn and do everything in their power to stop the rocket fire that continues to rain down on Israeli civilians, in violation of every precept of international law.

The number of rockets launched in only 48 hours proves that the smuggling of advanced weaponry by the Iranian regime into the Gaza Strip continues unabated. Every weapon smuggled into the area not only threatens Israeli civilians, but also diminishes Gaza's prospects for a prosperous future by transforming residential communities into rocket launching pads. Member States' obligations to prevent this illegal activity is an integral part of numerous UN Security Council resolutions including UNSC resolution 1860, but the latter receives hardly any attention from the international community.

Israel holds the Hamas terrorist organization fully responsible for all attacks emanating from the Gaza Strip, where it remains in de facto control. Israel has exercised and will continue to exercise its right to selfdefense, as appropriate, and will take all necessary measures to protect its citizens.

I should be grateful if you would have this letter distributed as an official document of the Security Council. I wish to inform you that an identical letter has been sent to H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations.

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

Yours truly,
Ambassador Haim Waxman
Deputy Permanent Representative
Permanent Mission of Israel to the
United Nations

CC:
H.E. Sir Mark Lyall Grant
President of the Security Council
United Nations
New York