The UN Security Council rejected Russia's proposal for an Israeli ceasefire in the fighting in Gaza overnight (between Monday and Tuesday). In the vote, besides Russia, China, Mozambique, and Gabon supported the proposal. Due to the support of these four countries, there was no need for a veto, as the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Japan voted against the proposal.
The Russian proposal did not include condemnation of the terrorist attacks and did not acknowledge Israel's right to self-defense. Israel's Ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, who worked together with the US Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, was present in the discussion and requested that Hamas be defined as a terrorist organization. "The Security Council should define Hamas as a terrorist organization, just like ISIS and Al-Qaeda, and call for the immediate release of the captives," he said.
Erdan: "The Hamas treaty is Mein Kampf on steroids"
The ambassador continued his remarks and drew a comparison between the terrorist organization and the Nazi regime: "The UN, born in the aftermath of the Holocaust – the murder of the Jewish people by the Nazis, saw once again last week the Nazi-like Hamas organization attempting to destroy Jews - massacring infants, mothers, fathers, and grandparents. Hamas promotes an ideology similar to that of the Nazis – the annihilation of the Jewish people and the erasure of the State of Israel."
According to Erdan: "Israel is currently on a rescue mission – the rescue of our kidnapped, the rescue of our future, and it is also the rescue of the residents of Gaza from the murderous rule of Hamas. All Council members must understand – Hamas promotes an ideology similar to that of the Nazis – the annihilation of the Jewish people and the erasure of the State of Israel."
Additionally, the ambassador quoted excerpts from the original Hamas charter: "The Day of Judgment will not come until Muslims fight the Jews and kill them," and "Peace initiatives and solutions are in contradiction to the principles of Hamas; there is no solution to the Palestinian problem except through Jihad." The ambassador called on the Council members, saying, "Read it for yourselves! This is Hitler's Mein Kampf on steroids."
Erdan added: "If Hamas is given another opportunity to commit these atrocities again, they will do so. Hamas will not stop until Israel is erased. Therefore, Israel must eradicate Hamas first, for the security, existence, and future of the State of Israel!"
At the end of his speech, the ambassador demanded from the Council members: "The first thing this Council needs to do before it calls for humanitarian assistance or calm is to recognize Hamas as a terrorist organization, just as the Council did with ISIS and Al-Qaeda." He emphasized that "Israel will not stand idle while they tie her hands when she is fighting for her security and her future."
