Israeli, Palestinian UN ambassadors exchange barbs on terrorism

Mansour tells the Security Council: Let my people be free.

By TOVAH LAZAROFF, DANIELLE ZIRI
Updated: APRIL 19, 2016 07:17
Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon speaking at the UN Security Council. Terror victim Dafna Meir’s husband, Natan, and daughter Renana sit behind Danon Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour (photo credit: UN)
Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon speaking at the UN Security Council. Terror victim Dafna Meir’s husband, Natan, and daughter Renana sit behind Danon Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour
(photo credit: UN)
“Shame on you for glorying terrorism,” Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon shouted at his Palestinian counterpart, Riyad Mansour, as sparks flew between them during a debate at the Security Council in New York.
They sparred orally just as a terrorist attack blew up a bus in Jerusalem wounding 21 passengers.
“We condemn the killing of innocent civilians, including Palestinian civilians. Do you do the same?” Danon asked Mansour.
“Shame on you for killing Palestinian children,” Mansour shot back. Danon responded, “You are naming streets after terrorists.”
The Israeli ambassador had brought with him to the UN Dafna Meir’s husband, Natan, and daughter Renana. Dafna, 38, was stabbed to death in January by a Palestinian teenager who had forced his way into their home. Renana and Natan sat behind Danon as he spoke.
In response to Danon, Mansour spoke against terrorism in general but did not specifically condemn acts of terrorism against Israelis. “We condemn the killing of all innocent civilians including Palestinian civilians. Do you do the same?” Mansour asked Danon.
“You are paying the families of the terrorists. Shame on you,” Danon retorted. Mansour shouted back at Danon, “Shame on you. You are an occupier. You are a colonizer.”
Alluding to Passover, Mansour demanded of Danon: “Let my people be free. Leave us alone.”
The Israeli envoy shot back: “Condemn all acts of terrorism. You are being translated into five languages. You can say it right now. It’s one sentence [but] you cannot say it,” said Danon. “Silence can be deafening, but in our region silence kills. It is time for the Palestinian leadership to end their silence, and to start acting as leaders.”
He blamed the Palestinian culture of “hate and constant brainwashing” for the loss of Israeli lives including that of Dafna Meir.
He spoke against the wave of stabbings and violence in the last seven months in which Palestinian terrorists killed 34 people and wounded hundreds of others.
When Mansour addressed the council he spoke against Israeli brutality toward his people, and called for international protection. Palestinian casualties are mounting as a result of attacks by “extremist terrorist settlers” and “daily military raids,” Mansour told the Security Council.
He spoke of the 200 Palestinians killed by Israel in the last seven months, but did mention that most were shot while attacking Israelis or in clashes with the IDF. He added that thousands of Palestinians, many of them women and children, had been injured.
He charged that Israel had a shoot to kill policy and had refused to return the dead bodies of Palestinians to their families, thereby “denying them dignity in death.”
Mansour added that our “children and youth” are being traumatized and targeted.
After the meeting Danon, said he hopes he “touched a nerve” at the Security Council.
“Today Mr. Mansour had a chance to condemn the violence,” he said. “At the end of the day, we want to show that incitement kills and we will continue to demand condemnations from the Palestinians.”