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Excellency,
We were quite disturbed to know
that your Excellency was "troubled by the heavy bloodshed,
particularly the killing and injuring of civilians on both sides",
quoting your statement of 17 January 2008. But what disturbed us even
more, was the fact that the UN remains to lack courage to face realities
and to differentiate between occupied and occupier, and accordingly to
act to end injustice. Let us not forget that according to resolutions
made by your organization, Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem are
Occupied Territories, and thus its people are eligible for protection
according to the international law.
We are writing to you to inform
you, incase you did not know, that over 35 Palestinians have been killed
in 72 hours by the Israeli forces, in an operation that does not seem to
be ending any time soon. However, no Israeli fatalities were reported
during that period where your statement was made. Therefore we
completely and strongly reject your statement which equalizes the victim
with the aggressor.
It is not easy to say that the
official position of the UN makes us question not only its credibility,
but also its purpose. The UN, we thought, was established for far more
noble reasons than satisfying great powers. Nonetheless, objective and
trustworthy statements like that issued by the UN Special Rapporteur Mr.
John Dugard, brings hopes that one day the UN will be worth its name.
Excellency,
We used to denounce the UN
silence towards the Israeli ongoing aggressions. It was rather
depressing that the UN voice was not heard condemning the Israeli siege
on Gaza, or the cut-short of electricity and fuel, or when medicine was
not allowed and patients were left to die. But after reading your
statement, we sadly wish that the UN remained silent.
Sincerely,
Dr. Eyad Sarraj
For the Palestinian
International Campaign
to End the Siege on Gaza
20 January 2008
H.E. Ban Ki-Moon
Secretary General
United Nations – New York
c/o H.E. Robert Serry, UN
Special Envoy to the Occupied Palestinian Territory
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