In first, UN condemns anti-Semitic terrorism

By Aryeh Savir, TPS

Israel’s mission to the United Nations (UN) marked an achievement for the Jewish state this week when the UN adopted a Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy that unequivocally condemns the terrorist organizations’ use of civilians as human shields.

After many efforts by the UN delegation led by Ambassador Gilad Erdan vis-à-vis the ambassadors of the relevant countries, a decision determining the UN’s strategy to combat terrorism included a number of important items that constitute a significant achievement for Israel.

The Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution titled “The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy:  seventh review,” calling upon member states to take appropriate measures to address “the new and emerging threats posed by the rise in terrorist attacks on the basis of xenophobia, racism and other forms of intolerance, or in the name of religion or belief.”

Only a month after the IDF’s Operation Guardian of the Walls against Hamas, and at Israel’s request, the UN condemned the terrorist organizations’ use of civilians as human shields, a method employed by Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

In addition, in its decision, the UN condemned for the first time anti-Semitic terrorism and recognized its existence.

“This is a very important and significant decision against the background of the wave of anti-Semitism in the world that is taking place these days,” Israel’s mission to the UN stated.

The UN resolution also condemned the use of the Internet as a tool to encourage and recruit terrorist operatives and called on Internet companies to take responsibility, a struggle that Erdan has led since his time as Israel’s Minister of Internal Security and continues to lead in the international arena and UN.

In his address to the General Assembly, Erdan welcomed the decision, saying the terrorists “must not be allowed to use schools, homes, and hospitals and it must be clear that they are responsible for the consequences.”

“For Israel, the fight against terrorism is not a theoretical issue. Israeli citizens in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Ashkelon sat in shelters under Hamas terrorist attacks,” he said.

“These terrorist organizations pose a great challenge to countries that comply with international law and try to protect their citizens.

“The unequivocal stance taken today by the international community underscores the challenges of asymmetric warfare in which democracies face terrorist organizations,” he stated.

On the UN’s recognition of terrorist acts against religious and ethnic communities, including explicit condemnation of anti-Semitism, Erdan said this is “of paramount importance. We have all witnessed anti-Semitic attacks against Jewish communities around the world, including here in New York, and we must take a hard line against any such action and first show the authorities what the UN expects them to do. ”

“Terrorism is terrorism is terrorism, and it should never be explained or justified. The UN must adopt a policy of zero tolerance for terrorism and zero excuses and explanations for terrorism. Only in this way can we fight it together,” he declared.