Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, did today what Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Nixon’s Ambassador to the United Nations, once did. He “gave them hell at the U.N.” In plain English, Netanyahu told the world who really practiced terrorism. He ended by asking, in effect, whose side the world at large, and the U.N. in particular, would stand on.

Netanyahu speaks truth to arrogance

The flag of the United Nations. (Public domain as per UN policy.)

Speak truth to power, liberals like to say. But liberals arrogantly assume they have a corner on truth. Benjamin Netanyahu told them they do not.

Arutz-Sheva (or Arutz-7 for short) covered the speech and recorded it for Israeli TV. Netanyahu spoke for thirty-five minutes. He used English as plain as it was flawless. Arutz-7 listed these highlights:

Distinguished delegates, I come here from Jerusalem to speak on behalf of my people, the people of Israel,” Netanyahu began. “I have come here to speak about the dangers we face [. . ] against the brazen lies about my country and about the people who defend it.

Netanyahu meant to reply to Mahmoud Abbas’ ridiculous (and counterintuitive) claim accusing Israel of “genocide.” But Netanyahu did not waste time playing defense. He played offense. He hammered the so-called “Islamic State.” Then he made this equation:

Last week, many people in the world applauded US President Barack Obama for joining the fight against ISIS. The same countries complained against Israel for fighting Hamas. They don’t understand that ISIS and Hamas are the branches of the same poisonous tree. Hamas shares the same militant ambitions of global Islamists.

He added this terse summary:

Hamas is ISIS, and ISIS is Hamas.

He attacked Iran’s regime and its Revolutionary Guards, too. They, too, wanted to set up “a world Islamic government.” The only reason they would fight against the Islamic State, is that they want to be the world caliphs, and not leave it to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Islamic radicals clash because each seeks to rule it all, not because any of them like non-Muslims. Which, he said, they do not.

He did not leave Hamas out of his indictment. He said plainly:

We used missiles to protect our children. They used children to protect their missiles.

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He said again what others have said before him: Hamas deliberately launched from schools and neighborhoods where children lived. In contrast the Israel Defense Forces repeatedly warned Gaza civilians to get out of the target areas. Hamas exhorted their people not to heed those warnings.

But he saved his most stinging indictment for the United Nations itself. Specifically he said this of the U.N. Human Rights Commission:

The UNHRC is an oxymoron, but I’ll use it just the same. Its policies are an extension of the oldest prejudice in the world. It’s a function of diseased minds: it’s called anti-Semitism, which is spreading in polite society, which is being legitimized as a form of criticism against Israel.

Netanyahu did not mention, though he could have, that anti-Semitism is almost as old as is foreign domination of the Jews. Ezra, the Chronicler of Judah, dutifully recorded the first-ever anti-Semitic conspiracy in chapter four of his eponymous book. That conspiracy played out during the reign of Artaxerxes I of Persia.

But Netanyahu said flatly:

The UNHRC has become a Terrorists’ Human Rights Council.

He finished by saying he took seriously his responsibility to defend his people. And that neither he nor the IDF would stand down.

Who else gave them hell at the UN?

Benjamin Netanyahu reminded this viewer of another official who “gave them hell at the UN.” He was not Israeli, but American. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, United States Ambassador to the UN, had this answer to UN Resolution 3379. That Resolution equated Zionism with racism.

Moynihan began by decrying the “common practice” at the U.N. of doing something outrageous, then reacting in outrage when someone points out their outrage. All that to say this:

The United States rises to declare before the General Assembly of the United Nations, and before the world, that it does not acknowledge, it will not abide by, it will never acquiesce in this infamous act.

And as Netanyahu would do today, Moynihan, on November 10, 1975, warned of the evil of anti-Semitism.

Moynihan spoke the truth then. Netanyahu spoke the truth today.

As usual, Arab delegates left the room when Netanyahu rose to speak. This is part of their anti-Semitic pose: they refuse to acknowledge Netanyahu as a head of State, worthy of respect and attention.

No matter. Benjamin Netanyahu held the attention of any self-respecting observer of world events, and anyone who cares for justice.

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