"Our government is cynically exploiting our collective trauma to violently advance its project of cementing Israel's control over the entire land," Yuli Novak, CEO of left-wing Israeli activist group B'Tselem, told the UN Security Council on Wednesday.
In the 9717th UN Security Council meeting, coming 11 months into the war, representatives of multiple countries, including Israel and Palestine, spoke on the subject of "The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question." This included Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, and a video message from Novak.
According to Novak, the Israeli government "does not want to return the hostages in a deal, but to continue the war, indefinitely." She referred to the government as "criminal," "apartheid," and "cruel," saying that they were exploiting the events of October 7 to carry out their agenda.
"Since Israel was founded, its guiding logic has been to promote Jewish supremacy over the entire territory under its control," she told the Council.
"It is waging war on the entire Palestinian people, committing war crimes almost daily."
Novak stated that Israel's current military actions in Gaza "goes beyond revenge; Israel is using the opportunity to promote an ideological agenda."
She also told the Council that by "driving Palestinians out of entire areas, Israel is laying the groundwork for long-term control of Gaza, that could lead to re-establishing Israeli settlements there."
Comments of settlements
According to her, the government was also lending its full backing to "settler pogroms" in the West Bank.
"Israel has enjoyed impunity for decades," she said to the representatives.
She called on the Security Council to "compel Israel and Hamas to cease all hostilities" and reach a ceasefire.
Referring to the ICJ's July ruling that Israel that Israel's actions may amount to apartheid, Novak said, "Every day the Council does not act on the court's call to end the occupation and apartheid, is another day the council is abandoning us, the people of this land, under a cruel and injust apartheid regime."
Ambassador Danon
Israel's UN ambassador Danny Danon ended the over three-hour debate with a speech focussing on Israel's plight to return the hostages and calling on the Council to issue a condemnation of Hamas.
Danon began his statement by holding up pictures of each of the six hostages murdered by Hamas last week, and giving biographies of each one.
"These six beautiful innocent heroic souls were executed by Hamas after more than 330 days of being held captive. Hamas shot bullets in the back of each of their heads," he told the Council.
He spoke of the grief of their families as an "agony that no one can comprehend" and drew attention to the remaining 101 hostages who have been in captivity for almost a year.
Danon spoke of Hamas's violations of human rights, including physical and sexual abuse of hostages.
Drawing on testimonies of released hostages, Danon gave examples of such violations. These included Amit Soussana's testimony of experiencing sexual and physical abuse, Maya Regev's statement that "every woman held by Hamas has been sexually abused," and Agam Goldsteim-Almog's recent words about being a "slave bride" for Hamas."
"We hear many voices saying that we halt our efforts, lay down our weapons, and question why we continue to fight Hamas in Gaza," Danon added.
"Many of you have forgotten why we are in Gaza, but we have not."
Danon told the Council that the "disconnection [of many representatives] allows some of you to behave as if October 7 never happened."
"Today, I am here to remind you and the world that we will never forget them, we will never abandon them, [hostages] who are being tortured by monsters."
Hamas and only Hamas is to blame, says Danon
Danon said that if the Council members "truly cared for the Palestinian people, and truly wanted an end to this war which Hamas started, [they] would officially draft and pass a resolution designating Hamas a terrorist organization, and condemning Hamas for its hostage-taking."
"Israel is committed to bringing every one of these hostages home. It is our top priority. But make no mistake; the roadblock to their release is not Israel; it is Hamas and only Hamas.
Danon claimed that for the Council members, "it is far easier to condemn a democratic government that to confront the reality of dealing with terrorists" given the terrorists do not sit at this table to defend their actions.
He concluded by calling on the Council to "direct its energy where it is most needed: issue a clear and unequivocal condemnation of the barbaric terrorist organization which continues to hold innocent lives."
"Now is the time for action."