Equipo Nizkor - UNSC S/2016/277 - Letter from Israel on the threats issued by Hizbullah against Israel.

United Nations
Security Council

S/2016/277

Distr.: General
23 March 2016
Original: English

Identical letters dated 23 March 2016 from the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council

I am writing to draw your attention to the recent threats against the people of Israel issued by Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary-General of the internationally designated terrorist group, Hizbullah.

This past Monday, in an interview on Lebanese television, Nasrallah threatened, I quote:

"I have a message for the people in all the cities of the Israeli 'entity' ... They should be careful ... the 'Israelis' know that the resistance possesses effective missiles that can hit any point."

Nasrallah made it clear that Hizbullah does not only possess the capacity to attack Israel, but the intention to do so.

"It is our religious and natural right to strike any target ... to repulse any 'Israeli' aggression. We have a full list of chemical plants, reactors and warehouses and where they are . we have a complete list of targets, we are not talking theoretically."

This is the second time in a month that Nasrallah has publicly threatened the lives of Israeli citizens.

As I wrote to you in my letter of 17 February (S/2016/153), Nasrallah threatened a catastrophic attack on the ammonia storage tanks in the northern Israeli city of Haifa. He boasted that such an attack would "lead to the death of tens of thousands of residents and 800,000 Israelis would be affected".

The gravity of these threats is magnified by Hizbullah's ongoing militarization of the towns and villages of southern Lebanon, intentionally endangering Lebanese civilians. As Nasrallah's statement indicates, Hizbullah has not ceased its military build-up in southern Lebanon, in clear violation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006).

While desiring calm in the north of Israel, Israel will not accept any violation of its sovereignty and will take all measures necessary to protect its citizens. Israel holds the Government of Lebanon fully responsible for any attacks coming out of its territory.

In the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) (S/2016/189), he expressed deep concern "at the readiness and willingness of Hizbullah to use its capabilities in violation of resolution 1701 (2006)" and warned that, "should Hizbullah's possession of arms or attempts to procure sophisticated weapons provoke conflict, the consequences are potentially very grave for Lebanon and for the region". The Secretary-General also condemned Nasrallah's recent threats against Israeli civilians.

Yet, the Security Council did not take heed of the Secretary-General's warnings. Hizbullah's constant threats and ongoing military build-up have been met instead with utter silence.

In an official statement issued by the Security Council following consultations on its resolution 1701 (2006), no mention was made of Hizbullah's military build-up in violation of the resolution, of its recent missile attacks on Israel, nor of its ongoing threats to target Israeli population centres.

In fact, Hizbullah was not mentioned at all.

The time has come for the Security Council to respond firmly against Hizbullah's repeated threats against the citizens of Israel and its ongoing military build-up. The international community must act to disarm Hizbullah.

The Security Council must also speak out against Nasrallah's brazen threats against a Member State. Silence is not an option.

I call upon the Security Council to publicly and unequivocally condemn these explicit threats against the lives of the people of Israel and to demand that the Government of Lebanon fully implement Security Council resolution 1701 (2006).

I should be grateful if you would have the present letter distributed as a document of the Security Council.

(Signed) Danny Danon
Ambassador
Permanent Representative

Information
Bookshop \| Donate Derechos \| Equipo Nizkor

23Mar16

Letter from Israel on the threats issued by Hizbullah against Israel