Israeli envoy to UN touts country's anti-terror record, blames Iran for Syria strife

“Since its rebirth 66 years ago, Israel has found itself under constant threat from terrorist organizations,” Prosor said.

By MAYA SHWAYDER
Ron Prosor (photo credit: COURTESY ISRAELI EMBASSY TO US‏)
Ron Prosor
(photo credit: COURTESY ISRAELI EMBASSY TO US‏)
NEW YORK — Israel’s ambassador to the UN Ron Prosor spoke at the 94th plenary meeting of the UN General Assembly on Thursday afternoon, and touted his country’s accomplishments in fighting insurgency and terrorism. He also called out Iran, as he had in many previous speeches, for fulling the Syrian conflict and for being “the world’s primary sponsor of terrorism.”
“Since its rebirth 66 years ago, Israel has found itself under constant threat from terrorist organizations,” Prosor said. “Out of this persistent need to defend our citizens, Israel became a specialist in the field of counter-terrorism – with technologies and tools unmatched by any other country.”
“Israelis are the targets of a terror campaign directed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and Hezbollah,” he continued. “Iran’s fingerprints can be seen on attacks from Bulgaria to Kenya to Thailand, where just a few weeks ago, authorities foiled a plan by Hezbollah agents to attack Israeli tourists.”
“When our children are not safe in their schools and our families are not safe in malls and museums then we – as an international community – have failed,” he said. “We have failed to stand up to terrorism and failed to fight back the plague that threatens to overrun entire nations.”
Prosor also condemned the abduction of Turkish consulate workers in Iraq and the overrunning of Iraqi cities by militants.
Prosor compared terrorism to a “lethal virus”: “Terrorist groups are determined enemies, adapting and mutating to avoid detection. Left untreated, they attack their host from within,” he said. “The prescription is clear: We must denounce all those who spread hatred and fear. We must isolate terrorist groups by cutting off their funding and dismantling their networks. And we must strive to produce an antidote so that we can eradicate the virus of terrorism before it eradicates us.”
The GA met to discuss a report from Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon titled “The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy,” which Ban submitted in April, and a draft resolution that would reaffirm the UN’s commitment to fighting terrorism, implement the strategies laid out in Ban’s report, including the "four pillars" of counter-terrorism: combating conditions that contribute to the spread of terrorism, preventing and combating, building member states' capacity to prevent and combat terrorism themselves, and ensuring respect for human rights and the rule of law.
The resolution will also add a discussion of counter-terrorism strategy to the agenda of the 70th session of the General Assembly based a new report that would be submitted in April 2016.


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