The UN Security Council will meet in emergency session Wednesday to discuss continuing Palestinian terrorist rocket and mortar attacks against Israel.
The extraordinary meeting has been called by the United States. It comes after Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists in Gaza fired at least 70 rockets and mortar shells at Israel over the course of the day Tuesday. Both terror groups claimed joint responsibility for the attacks.
“Mortars fired by Palestinian militants hit civilian infrastructure, including a kindergarten,” U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley said in a statement.
“The Security Council should be outraged and respond to this latest bout of violence directed at innocent Israeli civilians, and the Palestinian leadership needs to be held accountable for what they’re allowing to happen in Gaza.”
There were no reports of injuries or significant material damage, local government officials said. The shellings appeared to be the largest attack from the Gaza Strip since the 2014 war, known in Israel as Operation Protective Edge.
Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus is reporting from a civilian home that was hit by a rocket earlier this morning pic.twitter.com/3HsEyAO9ie
— IDF (@IDFSpokesperson) May 30, 2018
The United States circulated a draft statement calling on the council to condemn “in the strongest terms the indiscriminate firing of rockets by Palestinian militants in Gaza” toward Israel, according to a copy of the text seen by AFP.
Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon said the planned meeting was a “positive step,” but cautioned council members “must take serious action, and not make do with words.”
He further demanded the council “officially recognize Hamas as a terror group.”
“For weeks we’ve warned that the violent rioting along the Gaza border—including planting explosives along the fence and live fire at our security forces—were not a s spontaneous protest, but a violent coordinated attack against Israel,” Danon elaborated.
“The dozens of rockets and mortars fired at Israel leave no doubt about the intentions of those who have incited, encouraged and went as far as paying for those ongoing riots.”
The council will hear a report from UN envoy for the Middle East Nickolay Mladenov during the meeting scheduled for 3pm (7pm GMT) Wednesday.
Follow Simon Kent on Twitter: Follow @SunSimonKent or e-mail to: skent@breitbart.com
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