U.N. commemorates terror victims; Danon creates Israel exhibit

While the United States, Europe and Israel are no strangers to terror attacks, Iraq, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Somalia and Syria suffered over three-quarters of the deaths caused by terrorism in 2017.

AUGUST 28, 2018 22:01

Updated: AUGUST 30, 2018 03:01

UN Ambassador Danny Danon at exhibit commemorating Israeli terror victims as part of UN International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, Aug 2018 (photo credit: PR) — UN Ambassador Danny Danon at exhibit commemorating Israeli terror victims as part of UN International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, Aug 2018

(photo credit: PR)

The United Nations has decided to devote August 21 to the battle against terrorism in an international day of remembrance and tribute to the victims of terrorism.

This “represents a major step forward in standing in solidarity with victims of terrorism,” read the UN statement on the decision. “Victims often feel forgotten and neglected once the immediate aftermath of a terrorist attack fades.”

The UN has passed several resolutions over the past year to counter terrorism worldwide through the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism and the Counter Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate.

The last decade has been plagued with continuous terror threats all over the globe. ISIS, Hamas, Hezbollah and al-Qaeda are only a few of the names commonly associated with terror in the Western world, but the world at large is subject to the threats of many more organizations, including ones based in Asia and Africa. “Lone-wolf” attacks have been on the rise as well, with social media serving as a key tool for incitement to terror.

While the United States, Europe and Israel are no strangers to terror attacks, the complex infrastructures in place in developed countries assist in foiling many terror attempts. By comparison, Iraq, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Somalia and Syria suffered more than three-quarters of the deaths caused by terrorism in 2017.

“I welcome the decision of the General Assembly to establish an International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “When we respect the human rights of victims and provide them with support and information, we reduce the lasting damage done by terrorists to individuals, communities and societies.”

As part of International Remembrance Day, Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon initiated an exhibition dedicated to victims of terror in Israel. The exhibition, designed to be presented for more than a week in the UN’s headquarters in New York, introduces names of terror victims in Israel from recent years, alongside text written by their family members or friends.

“The victims of terror attacks, along with soldiers who fell in battle defending our country, have a place in our aching hearts,” said Danon. “Terror acts are vile and cowardly. The perpetrators carrying them out [in Israel] ingest the hatred against our nation along with the milk they suckle as newborns. They are considered heroes in their society.”

Danon referred to the UN’s responsibility in battling the incitement in our region. “The international community must demand of the head of the Palestinian Authority to cease the transfer of salaries to murderers,” he said.

The United Nations has been known to stand against Israel on several points, specifically in regard to allegations of war crimes in the Gaza Strip and mistreatment of Palestinians in the West Bank.

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In June of 2018, the US withdrew from the UN Human Rights Council due to “anti-Israel bias.”

To mark the #UN’s Int’l Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to Victims of Terror, we opened an exhibit commemorating #Israeli victims of terror. #NotATarget pic.twitter.com/PCBlRMZQyR
— Ambassador Danon (@dannydanon) August 28, 2018

Several exhibitions related to this day are currently presented in the UN National Headquarters in New York until September 4th, according to the UN website, and include stories of victims and their resilience in a show of solidarity.