Ban Ki-moon again failed to address reality when he placed the full blame for Palestinian violence on Israeli policies.
Palestinian agitators on the Temple Mount. (Hadas Parush/Flash90)
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon again accused Israel for the ongoing Palestinian terror attacks in the country, while placing no responsibility on the Palestinians for their murderous actions.
In a special message to the Meeting of the UN’s Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on the Question of Jerusalem in Jakarta on Monday, Ban said that “it is no coincidence that Jerusalem was one of the sparks that lit the fuse of this latest escalation. Jerusalem, one of the oldest cities in the world, holds shrines sacred to billions of people worldwide — Muslims, Jews and Christians alike. What happens in Jerusalem reverberates around the world. Any action which could be interpreted as attempting to change the delicate balance, and particularly the status quo of the holy sites, carries with it the risk of conflict.”
Palestinians have been alleging for years that Israel is plotting to overrun the Temple Mount and remove the mosques on it, and Ban was apparently echoing their allegations. Israel has repeatedly denied the allegations and accepted solutions to monitor the situation, which the Palestinians rejected.
Citing his attempts to bring calm during his October visit, he said that was not enough and that “the anger we are witnessing is bred from nearly five decades of Israeli occupation. It is the result of [Palestinian] fear, humiliation, frustration and mistrust. It has been fed by the wounds of decades of bloody conflict, which will take a long time to heal.” Therefore, according to Ban, Israel’s decades-long attitude toward the Palestinians is the reason of the latest outbreak of terror attacks.
“Palestinian youth in particular are tired of broken promises and they see no light at the end of the tunnel.” They are also the main force perpetrating the almost daily terror attacks against Israeli citizens.
The UN chief called for a diplomatic process, which would end with two states and a split Jerusalem that will “emerge as a capital of two States, with arrangements for the holy sites acceptable to all.” Most Israeli leaders, including the left-wing leaning politicians, reject Jerusalem’s partition and maintain all of Jerusalem would serve as Israel’s capital under any agreement.
He again echoed baseless Palestinian allegations that Israel planned to somehow alter the status quo on the Temple Mount and called on it not to do so. “All parties must refrain from attempts to establish facts on the ground that alter the character of the Holy City or the demographics of the West Bank.”
He reiterated the UN’s stance that Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria, including East Jerusalem, are illegal under international law and “an obstacle to peace.”
“Demolitions of houses and other measures of collective punishment are in contravention of Israel’s obligation to protect civilians,” he said.
Ambassador Danny Danon. (Flash90)
He was apparently referring to the homes of terrorists recently demolished by the IDF as part of Israel’s war on the recent wave of Palestinian terror attacks that have claimed the lives of 21 victims and wounded over 220.
He ambiguously stated that “the violence and attacks against civilians, including rocket fire from Gaza, are unacceptable and must stop,” without naming the perpetrators.
“The United Nations, and I personally, remain committed to helping the parties bring the occupation and this long-standing conflict to an end, in pursuit of the lasting vision of Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security,” he concluded.
Israel’s envoy to the UN Danny Danon blasted Ban for his remarks which essentially justified terrorism.
“Instead of wasting your time trying to rationalize Palestinian terrorism, the United Nations should confront the Palestinian Authority to eradicate incitement coming from its highest echelons, permeating into the education system and social networks,” Danon stated.
By: Max Gelber, United with Israel