8 July 2001
DM Ben-Eliezer addresses letter to UN Secy.-Gen. regarding decision not to provide Israel with UNIFIL videotape
(Communicated by the Defense Minister's Media Adviser)
Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer today (Sunday), 8.7.2001,
addressed a letter to United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan
responding to the UN's decision not to provide Israel with the UNIFIL
videotape.
Following is the text of the letter:
Dear Mr. Secretary General,
I wish to acknowledge receipt of your reply, delivered via your
Deputy for Peacekeeping Operations, to my request to receive the
original video film taken by United Nations personnel the day after
the abduction of three Israeli soldiers by Hizbullah terrorists.
I took note of your decision not to provide Israel with a copy of the
video film and of your proposal that representatives of my Government
view the film whilst still in United Nations possession. I have also
noted the reasons for this decision and proposal.
In as much as we were pleased to learn that in its decision the
United Nations took into consideration the plight of the families of
the abducted Israeli soldiers, we found the viewing procedures
detailed in your reply disappointing and disturbing. We believe that
once the United Nations recognized the validity of the Israeli
request, its decision not to hand over the original film to Israel is
altogether puzzling and incongruous. It also raises doubts concerning
the completeness of the video film.
Furthermore, we find the equal treatment you accord the Government of
Israel and the Lebanese representatives to be inappropriate and
inexplicable. Not only was Israel the only party to inquire about and
request the video film, it was the victim of an unprovoked attack
originating from Lebanese territory in clear breach of the Security
Council resolution that Israel has fully endorsed and implemented.
These were our, and not the other side's, nationals who were abducted
and it is these same soldiers who have been held incommunicado for
some nine months in Lebanon. In this case, applying a symmetrical
yardstick to both sides discriminates against the victim in favor of
the aggressor.
The circumstances surrounding the shooting of the film on October 8,
2000, and the protracted withholding of information from Israel
regarding its very existence, have raised serious concerns with my
Government. The proposal provided by the United Nations does not,
unfortunately, resolve these concerns. To bring the matter to rest,
we, therefore, reiterate our earlier request that the United Nations
releases the original video film in its entirety to the Government of
Israel. This procedure alone will allow us to study the film - as we
should have been offered to do long ago - with the thoroughness and
expertise it deserves.
Moreover, your letter failed to address my request that the United
Nations submit all other information available to it regarding the
abduction of the Israeli soldiers. In view of the doubts relating to
the conduct of UNIFIL and the United Nations' Secretariat in this
matter, we request that an inquiry be conducted forthwith in order to
determine once and for all the facts known to the United Nations
pertaining to the abduction of the Israeli soldiers and the delay in
the United Nations Secretariat of advising Israel of these facts.
In conclusion, let me express our belief that a conscientious
implementation of these steps is fully commensurate with the
functions and accountability expected of the United Nations and will
serve only to enhance its integrity.
Sincerely,
Benjamin Ben-Eliezer
Minister of Defense