Danon to UN Secretary-General: Condemn Abbas’s ‘hateful’ and ‘racist’ speech
"These statements sadly remind us of the racist words of the worst regimes of the previous century."
By DANIEL J. ROTHIsraeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon addresses the Security Council.(photo credit: UN PHOTO)
NEW YORK - Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon demanded on Monday that Secretary General António Guterres condemn an inflammatory speech delivered by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas the previous day.In a letter sent to Guterres’s office, Danon claimed that the PA leader had disparaged the State of Israel with “hateful” and “racist” language as he questioned the country’s right to exist. “Among the many vile fabrications in his address, Chairman Abbas repeated the lie that the reestablishment of the nation-state of the Jewish people in our historic homeland is "a colonial project that has nothing to do with Judaism," Danon wrote in the letter. "Chairman Abbas also accused European powers of ‘moving Jews from Europe to the Middle East’ as part of a plan to further their economic interests. These statements sadly remind us of the racist words of the worst regimes of the previous century."In a long and rambling speech on Sunday night in Ramallah to the Palestine Liberation Organization’s Central Council, Abbas said that "[Israel] is a colonial project with no relationship to Judaism," and voiced support for "popular, peaceful resistance" to Israel’s military rule."I am not bashful about repeating this 100 or 1,000 times," he said. "I only support popular, peaceful resistance. Believe me, its stronger and more effective than other ways."Danon added in his letter: "It is unfortunate that, with his latest statements, Chairman Abbas has yet again responded negatively to serious initiatives for dialogue by Israel, the United States and other members of the international community."The hateful words of the Chairman of the Palestinian Authority, which seem to question the very right of a United Nations member-state to exist, are completely unacceptable and must be unequivocally condemned," Danon concluded.Abbas’s comments were made in the wake of the White House’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital last month and initiate the relocation of the US Embassy in Tel Aviv to the capital.