Israel’s ambassador to the world body Danny Danon called on the international community to condemn Hamas for its indiscriminate fire toward civilian communities. The Israeli Ambassador stressed, ahead of an emergency meeting of the Security Council that was held last night with regard to the escalation between Israel and the Islamist organizations in Gaza, that the time has come to stop comparing Israel’s actions to that of the terror organization Hamas. According to Danon “In a few minutes, certain morally bankrupt members of the Security Council will jump here to blame Israel. Other members that claim to be objective, will call for restraint on both sides. Let me be clear about that, there is no such a thing, both sides. There is Hamas, that attacks and fires over 460 missiles at civilians and there is Israel, that protects its people. The Security Council must only condemn Hamas today for its aggressive assault on civilians and finally, finally designate it a terrorist organization.” Ambassador Danon further underscored that all actions taken by Israel aim at protecting the Jewish state and its citizens, including operations that aim to preempt those who orchestrate terror activities against Israel. Danon said “We take actions to protect our people. And when you know that someone is digging a tunnel, or someone is planning an attack, or kidnap attack, you take protective actions. We will continue to take those actions no matter where it will take place, in order to prevent future assaults on our people.” In response to the Israeli demand for an international condemnation of Hamas, both the United States and France condemned the Islamist faction for its indiscriminate fire toward Israel’s civilian communities. While the U.S. conveyed its condemnation through its State Department Spokeswoman Heather Nauert, France demanded of Hamas to immediately halt any attacks directed at civilians. That said, the French ambassador to the United Nations also urged Israel to stop any disproportionate actions against the attacks emanating from the Hamas-run territory, claiming it to be unjustifiable. French Ambassador to the U.N., Francois Delattre, said “France condemns in the strongest terms the rocket launches from Hamas against civilian targets on the Israeli territory. The fear in which the populations of southern Israel live must stop. That’s a very important thing. At the same time the disproportionate violence against Palestinians must also stop. It is unjustifiable regardless to our attachment to the security of Israel. And you know that France will never compromise with the security of Israel. Finally we call on all parties to avoid an escalation. The civilian populations would be the first victims of a new cycle of deadly violence. So there is an emergency to break this negative cycle.”
