For the first time, UN recognizes antisemitic terrorism, condemns it
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.
Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Gilad Erdan, in his first address to the Security Council, Oct. 26, 2020. Source: Facebook/Gilad Erdan
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 the 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 antisemitic terrorism and recognized its existence.
“This is a very important and significant decision against the background of the wave of antisemitism 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 noted.
“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 antisemitism, Erdan said this is “of paramount importance. We have all witnessed antisemitic 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.
It is gratifying that the United Nations has, very belatedly, recognized the threat posed by international terrorism, especially global anti-Semitism, and has rightly condemned it. However, talk is cheap. While sponsors of Islamic terror groups like the Iranian government seem to escape censure or condemnation, nothing much will be done to combat this growing phenomenon. When was the last time a U.N. resolution was raised to discuss the support and encouragement of terrorism by countries like Iran, Syria, China et al. Until this issue is explored and reported in much greater detail, and countries sanctioned who give succor to terrorists are truly condemned, nothing will change. As we have sadly learned from history, rhetoric and meaningless platitudes are not enough.