Blog : Ma nouvelle vie en Israel

 Following the United Nations' Human Rights Council decision to establish an inquiry into alleged human rights violations in Gaza (http://mfa.gov.il/MFA/PressRoom/2014/Pages/UNHRC-decision-should-be-rejected-by-decent-people-everywhere-23-Jul-2014.aspx), please see the following document which clarifies Israel's position.

Background

On 12 June 2014, the day Hamas terrorists abducted and murdered three Israeli teens in the West Bank; Hamas resumed launching rockets from Gaza on Israeli cities. For three weeks Israel showed great restraint and repeatedly indicated its desire to avoid further escalation, but Hamas' incessant missile attacks on Israeli communities continued, culminating in a barrage of 70 missiles fired on July 7th alone. Israel was left with no choice but to respond militarily to defend its civilian population.

 In recent years, Hamas, designated as a terrorist organization around the world, including by the US, the EU and Canada, has invested heavily in a formidable terrorist infrastructure, including some 12,000 missiles capable of hitting most of Israel's territory. It has also built dozens of attack tunnels to infiltrate Israel for the purpose of killing and kidnapping Israeli civilians.

The main objective of Operation Protective Edge is to restore quiet to Israel's citizens. Israel's right to defend itself has been widely recognized by the international community, including most recently by EU foreign ministers on July 22nd. Israel's actions are intended solely to curtail Hamas' terrorist capabilities in Gaza and do not target the people of Gaza in any way.

In recent years, Hamas, designated as a terrorist organization around the world, including by the US, the EU and Canada, has invested heavily in a formidable terrorist infrastructure, including some 12,000 missiles capable of hitting most of Israel's territory. It has also built dozens of attack tunnels to infiltrate Israel for the purpose of killing and kidnapping Israeli civilians.