U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley slammed the Security Council for its failure to censure Hamas rocket attacks against Israel on Wednesday.
“It is outrageous for the Security Council to fail to condemn Hamas rocket attacks against Israeli citizens while the Human Rights Council approves sending a team to investigate Israeli actions taken in self-defense,” Haley said, referring to a measure to investigate the deaths of Palestinian protesters along the Gaza border on May 14.
RT @USUN: Yesterday, Hamas launched 70 rockets into Israel. Who among us would accept 70 rockets launched into your country? We all know the answer to that. No one would. pic.twitter.com/eVzmqoirvS
— Nikki Haley (@nikkihaley) May 30, 2018
Kuwait, a non-permanent member of the Security Council, blocked the U.S. measure to denounce Hamas and instead offered a resolution calling for the “international protection” of the Palestinian people.
“Unlike some situations we deal with here in the Security Council, we’re guilty parties claim mistaken identity, or lack of evidence of responsibility, this is clearly not the case,” said Haley, expressing frustration at the lack of an agreement on condemning the rocket attacks. “Hamas openly claims responsibility for this attack. They do so proudly. Their only regret is that the attack did not kill anyone.”
Other representatives from the United Kingdom and France “unequivocally condemned” the rocket attacks on Israel, but also linked the violence to Palestinian protests earlier this month and the opening of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem for inflaming tensions.
“There is a real risk of a cycle of violence which the players in question could quickly lose control of,” stated French Ambassador to the U.N. François Delattre.
Ahead of the meeting, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon said his country would do what is necessary to protect Israelis from future attacks.
“If Israeli children are not allowed to sleep quietly at night, then the terrorists of Gaza will feel the might of the IDF,” he said. “We will not allow anyone to harm our citizens, and we will do all that is necessary to defend them.”