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United Nations Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Sir John Holmes (Tomer Appelbaum)
Last update - 20:24 18/02/2008
Top diplomat: Calling violence in south a 'cycle' may breed terror
By Akiva Eldar and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: gaza, rocket fire 

Foreign Ministry Director-General Aharon Abramowitz on Monday accused a visiting United Nations official of equating terrorists with their victims, saying such discourse could encourage further attacks.

Abramowitz adamantly rejected remarks made by UN Undersecretary General John Holmes during the latter's visit to Sderot on Sunday, in which he called the crisis in the south "a cycle of violence."

During an official meeting with the former British diplomat, Abramowitz said such discourse draws parallels between terrorists and those who defend themselves against terror.
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He also stressed that these remarks could inadvertently lead terrorists to believe that the international community might apply pressure on Israel instead of addressing the roots of violence.

"The use of expressions such as these creates an analogy between the terrorists and those who are defending themselves against terror," Abramovich told Holmes, according to a statement issued by Israel's Foreign Ministry.

The statement added: "Holmes' remarks do not serve the interests of peace, as they may unwittingly encourage terrorists to believe that the international community will exert pressure on Israel, instead of dealing with the roots of the violence."

Abramowitz briefed Holmes on Israel's policy on defending itself from terror attacks - including the indiscriminate and relentless Qassam and mortar fire on the western Negev, the smuggling of weapons and militants, and ongoing efforts of terror groups to carry out attacks against Israel.

Abramowitz said he expects the UN and democratic countries - some of whom deal with similar extremist threats - to support Israel in its struggle against terror and organizations that refuse to recognize it.

When asked about the Foreign Ministry statement, Holmes said: "I think it's very hard to construe from what I said anything which could be said to be encouraging terrorism."

Holmes: Defense and foreign ministers have refused to meet me

On Sunday, Holmes warned Israel against an invasion of the Gaza Strip and said that the crisis in the South can be solved only by diplomacy.

"The only thing that will make a lasting difference is a peace settlement," he said. "You can't stop these problems militarily. They have to be solved through negotiations."

In an interview with Haaretz after his visit to Sderot, Sir John Holmes said that the response to the Qassam rocket attacks must be proportional from a humanitarian point of view. The former British diplomat, who had been involved in negotiations regarding Northern Ireland, said that despite the terrorism, the British government never considered bombing that region, and sought other means to resolve the crisis.

Holmes said he was aware of the domestic pressure on the Israeli government to respond to the Qassam attacks, as well as the differences between the situation here and in Northern Ireland, but said there were no magic formulas.

The senior UN official had requested to meet with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, but was turned down.

Regarding the continued Qassam rocket attacks, Holmes said during a visit to Sderot, "We condemn absolutely the firing of these rockets. There's no justification for it. They are indiscriminate."

Two weeks ago, Israel's ambassador to the UN, Dan Gillerman, attacked Holmes for a statement he issued against collective punishment in the Gaza Strip, while ignoring the rocket attacks against Sderot.

Holmes said Sunday that Gillerman apologized when he learned that the condemnation also included specific references to the rocket attacks on Sderot.

Related articles:
  • UN humanitarian chief visits Sderot, condemns Qassam rocket fire
  • UN official says situation in Gaza Strip 'grim and miserable'
  • Libya withholds support for UN draft condemning Qassam fire
  • UN official: Israel should review its 'entire' military policy in Gaza
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      1.   Response to the Qassam rocket attacks must be proportional 03:03  |  g 18/02/08
      2.   UN 03:26  |  Jim 18/02/08
      3.   The very idea of diplomacy with Hamas... 03:28  |  Maureen Ann 18/02/08
      4.   Sir John Holmes` Proportions 03:31  |  Fish 18/02/08
      5.   pls dont use stupid "qassam" excuse again 03:42  |  rawtruth 18/02/08
      6.   Anybody bother to ask this stooge for a definition ... 03:44  |  Ali 18/02/08
      7.   O.K. Holmes: No Double Speak 03:46  |  Brad 18/02/08
      8.   peace with hamas not possible 03:56  |  real vision 18/02/08
      9.   More UN BS 03:58  |  Frank 18/02/08
      10.   Justifying Kassam rockets as tentative to kill civilians 04:04  |  Marcelo 18/02/08
      11.   what is proportional? rocket for rocket? stupid comment. 04:07  |  ralph 18/02/08
      12.   I am no expert but the problem isn`t Qassams but the 04:20  |  R 18/02/08
      13.   Brits Never Had 10 Bombs Per Week 04:37  |  Rightster 18/02/08
      14.   Believe Not Holmes When He Says Gillerman apologised . 04:49  |  Joseph . E 18/02/08
      15.   #1 Yeah, sure, G 05:07  |  Johnboy 18/02/08
      16.   Portions 05:07  |  hercule 18/02/08
      17.   UN official warns against Gaza invasion, says diplomacy only solu 05:11  |  emporda 18/02/08
      18.   Qassam rocket attacks must be proportional 05:14  |  Born In The USA 18/02/08
      19.   Who decided that this is the more moral stance? 05:18  |  Jon 18/02/08
      20.   Why Doesn`t the UN... 05:20  |  BeReal 18/02/08
      21.   To g (#1) 05:27  |  R 18/02/08
      22.   Yes .. lob rockets back at `em 05:31  |  GZLives 18/02/08
      23.   Response To Qassams 05:42  |  Fabian 18/02/08
      24.   Sit Down Sir John Holmes With A Cup Of Hot Tea ... 05:44  |  Lavi 18/02/08
      25.   UN official warns 06:07  |  observer 18/02/08
      26.   Maybe he has a point 06:29  |  Nechama 18/02/08
      27.   proportianal response to terrorists?? 07:01  |  vik 18/02/08
      28.   Jewboys - lie down and die. 07:15  |  Nathan Phatti 18/02/08
      29.   Proportional Response 07:24  |  MB Australia 18/02/08
      30.   Sir John Holmes knows nothing about Islam or Hamas 07:26  |  redmike 18/02/08
      31.   International law and Gaza. 07:31  |  Jean Van Daem 18/02/08
      32.   Proportional response 08:00  |  ron 18/02/08
      33.   holmes sweet holmes 08:06  |  ron 18/02/08
      34.   That`s odd, in a JP article he advocated.... 08:13  |  MaryRose 18/02/08
      35.   In proportion to the jack of the jackass 08:14  |  Chamber Laine 18/02/08
      36.   does the term bloody idiot strike home ? 08:23  |  v hardman 18/02/08
      37.   UN official Never Warned Arabs Against Their War Agression 09:00  |  Joseph . E 18/02/08
      38.   Idiotic dhimmis with advice 09:06  |  Denton 18/02/08
      39.   BRITS. roll over when Arabs threaten with terror.Saudis said jump 09:27  |  PETER SM 18/02/08
      40.   Sir John Holmes 09:31  |  Avnera 18/02/08
      41.   EU and their "proportional response" 09:34  |  stanley 18/02/08
      42.   "PROPORTIONAL" make Pal civilllians THE target? schools,kindy`s 09:35  |  PETER SM 18/02/08
      43.   Send The Quassam Back to Gaza 09:45  |  Maz 18/02/08
      44.   Diplomacy, flappy-gobbed Israeli-style 09:50  |  Clickfool 18/02/08
      45.   3 Joseph E ,You make me sick with your UN bias 09:51  |  Dutch 18/02/08
      46.   Sir John Holmes 10:15  |  Malcolm 18/02/08
      47.   #42 doris cadigan cracks more jokes about the un 10:32  |  v hardman 18/02/08
      48.   #29 MB Australia. Hello mate! 10:46  |  Maureen Ann 18/02/08
      49.   To Maureen Ann...give back stolen land to the Aborignies 10:48  |  SLAVO 18/02/08
      50.   Peace with Hamas ? 10:52  |  Serge 18/02/08
      51.   you can`t make peace with gaza... 11:05  |  Joey 18/02/08
      52.   At last the UN stands up to Israel...but wait... 11:07  |  Silvienne 18/02/08
      53.   #3 Maureen Ann - The Australian strumpet 11:13  |  * BEN JABO 18/02/08
      54.   52: Silvienne: Always getting it wrong 11:15  |  David Teich 18/02/08
      55.   #15 Johnboy - Although you`re not certain 11:17  |  * BEN JABO 18/02/08
      56.   John Holmes certainly isn`t a Sherlock Holmes 11:19  |  * BEN JABO 18/02/08
      57.   #48 Maureen Ann - Out of fairness 11:22  |  * BEN JABO 18/02/08
      58.   #52 Silvienne - Any Israeli actions against Gaza 11:23  |  * BEN JABO 18/02/08
      59.   THIS IS UN 12:08  |  KING DAVID 18/02/08
      60.   # 45 Dutch " Tax Dollars for Terrorism: " 12:35  |  Joseph E . post 1 18/02/08
      61.   # 45 Dutch " Rape is a Muslim Weapon of Terrorism " 12:38  |  Joseph E . post 2 18/02/08
      62.   # 45 Dutch " Rape is a Muslim Weapon of Terrorism " 12:40  |  Joseph E . Post 3 18/02/08
      63.   # 45 Dutch " Rape is a Muslim Weapon of Terrorism " 12:42  |  Joseph E . Post 4 18/02/08
      64.   Coerced to Kill 12:54  |  Joseph . E 18/02/08
      65.   Some people can`t handle "raw truth" 12:57  |  Michael 18/02/08
      66.   Honor Killings in Jordan 13:06  |  Joseph . E 18/02/08
      67.   HONOR KILLINGS AND ISLAM 13:07  |  Joseph . E 18/02/08
      68.   Maybe Holmes..... 13:27  |  David 18/02/08
      69.   #48 moaning ann and fair proportion 13:51  |  v hardman 18/02/08
      70.   Proportional Response 14:24