Statement by Israel Ambassador Daniel Carmon, Chargé d'Affaires, a.i. to the United Nations Security Council Emergency Session
New York - 31 May 2010

Text:

Mr. President.

The Security Council is convened this afternoon following a serious event that took place today early morning local time, when a convoy of six ships attempted to break the maritime blockade off the cost of Gaza. Although portrayed in the media as a humanitarian mission delivering aid to Gaza, this flotilla was anything but a genuine humanitarian only mission.

If indeed it were a real humanitarian only mission, the organizers would have accepted, weeks ago, during the planning stages, the offer by the Israeli authorities to transfer the aid, through the port of Ashdod, to Gaza through the existing overland crossing, in accordance with established procedures. Many states and organizations, including the UN, are using those mechanisms on a daily basis.

Much materials and merchandise is entering Gaza daily through those mechanisms where, I stress, there is no humanitarian crisis. This Council has heard, not long ago, from Mr. Serry about developments on this aspect.

The Flotilla organizers not only rejected this offer, but stated clearly that “this mission is not about delivering humanitarian supplies, but rather about “breaking the Israeli siege” as Greta Berlin, a flotilla spokesperson told the media last week.

Mr. President,

What kind of humanitarian activists demand to bypass the United Nations, the Red Cross, and other internationally recognized agencies?

What kind of peace activists use knives, clubs and fire weapons stolen from soldiers, and other weapons to attack soldiers who board a ship in accordance with international law?

What kind of humanitarian activists, some with known terrorist history, embrace Hamas, a terrorist organization that openly shuns a two state solution and calls for Israel’s destruction, defying conditions set by the international community and the Quartet. The answer is clear: they are not peace activists; they are not messengers of good will. They cynically use the guise of humanitarian aid to send a message of hate and to implement violence.

Mr. President.

Indeed, it is a sad day because of the result of an unwelcome provocation.

Let me remind the Council that a state of armed conflict exists between Israel and the Hamas terrorist regime controlling Gaza. Let me remind the Council that rockets and mortars are still being launched by Hamas and others toward southern Israel, as recently as an hour ago. Let me remind the Council that Gaza is occupied by terrorists that ousted the PA in a violent coup, and that arms are continuously being smuggled into the territory, including by sea. Peace and security are threatened.

Members of the Council,

A blockade is a legitimate and recognized measure under international law that may be implemented as part of an armed conflict at sea. A blockade may be imposed at sea, including in international waters. Let me also stress that Israel provided, in due time, not only information about the existence of the blockade, but also appropriate notification to the relevant governments and to the organizers of the Gaza Flotilla. The organizers turned down the repeated offers by Israel to transfer the aid to Gaza, because they had other plans.

Listen to one of the statements made prior to the events by one of the main organizer:

“They [the Israelis] are going to have to forcefully stop us." So said the leader of the IHH, one of the primary organizers of the flotilla. Just prior to departure, he added: “We are going to resist and resistance will win.”

Moreover, it should be noted that the organizing group, the IHH has a radical anti-Western orientation. Alongside its legitimate humanitarian activities, it supports radical networks such as Hamas, and at least in the past has even supported global jihad elements, such as al-Qaeda.

Mr. President.

Being a so-called humanitarian mission, these champions of human rights also rejected in the initial planning stage an Israeli request to ask Hamas to allow the Red Cross to visit captured soldier Gilad Shalit.

When it became clear that the protest flotilla intended to violate the blockade, despite the repeated warnings, Israeli Naval personnel boarded the vessels and redirected them to Ashdod. Unfortunately, the soldiers boarding one of the ships, were most violently attacked with life threatening means: live ammunition, knives, clubs and others types of weapons. The intention was clear: to lynch the Israeli soldiers. As documented, and without any doubt, the soldiers acted in self-defense. According to reports, the unfortunate event resulted in death and injuries to the protesters as well as grave injuries to our soldiers. The seriously injured were evacuated and are currently being treated at Israeli hospitals. The IDF, as part of its standard operating procedures, will conduct debriefings on the matter that will shed more light on the occurrences we have witnessed today. The information will be shared accordingly.

Mr. President.

Let me be very clear: this was not a peaceful protest. The IHH people on board one of the ships were not humanitarian aid activists. The IDF operation - not a military attack - began as a preventive measure to counter illegal breakage of the blockade. Any responsible government would act accordingly in similar circumstances. It is the responsibility of the organizers, the provocateurs, some linked to terrorist organizations.

The results of last night’s events are tragic and unfortunate, and Israel deeply regrets any loss of innocent life. But it cannot compromise its security. Nobody would.

The full picture of the circumstances that lead to these consequences will continue, as I have stated, to unfold in the next few days. However, it is important, members of the Council, colleagues, that while assessing this particular event, we cannot lose sight of the bigger picture. Many in this Council have mentioned resolution 1860 which, may I remind all Members, contains many more aspects. Thus, we cannot ignore the threat to peace and security posed by Hamas. We cannot ignore the most basic necessity and obligation of Israel to safeguard its security by appropriate measures when threatened.

Let us not become diverted from the need to continue advancing on the political track. While the complicated situation in and around Gaza persists, and today’s incident is only an example of it, we should continue to embrace, as we have heard from the Secretariat, the positive developments from the past few weeks, so that we and the Palestinian Authority can sit together for direct talks for the benefit of our people and the region as a whole.