Gillerman: Moderate Muslims not doing enough to curtail terrorism

Israel's UN ambassador on Monday accused moderate Muslim and Arab leaders of standing by in "eerie silence" while Islamic extremists terrorize people around the world.

"We live in a world where when Christians kill Muslims, it's a crusade. When Jews kill Muslims, it's a massacre. When Muslims kill Muslims, it's the weather channel. Nobody cares," Ambassador Dan Gillerman told reporters at a press lunch at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York.

Gillerman said moderate leaders from Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt had not done enough to stem violence between Muslims. He cited recent incidents in Iraq, Afghanistan, Egypt, Kenya, Jordan, Turkey, Algeria and Morocco.

Gillerman compared the muted reaction to the uproar triggered across the Muslim world last year over Danish newspaper cartoons lampooning the Prophet Muhammad. "Hundreds of Muslims are killed by Muslims and you don't see a single Muslim leader that stands up and says enough is enough," he said.

"What we are witnessing today truly is a clash of civilization, in the singular ... Because most of the horror, most of the bloodshed, most of the terror and most of the killings are within Islam. And the vast majority of victims are Muslims."

He commended moderate Arab leaders for their work on the Saudi peace initiative to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict drawn up by Arab leaders in 2002 and revived this March at an Arab League summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The initiative offers Israel recognition and permanent peace with all Arab countries in return for its withdrawal from lands captured in the 1967 Middle East war.

Gillerman said that although Israel would not accept the plan without amendments, he believed that moderate Arab leaders had reorganized their priorities in the region at the March summit, focusing less on Israel and more on Iran and its nuclear ambitions.

"What made them gather in Riyadh is not us," said Gillerman. "What made them gather is the fact that they said let's try and solve this problem in much more realistic and pragmatic terms than we were willing to do before, so we can all ally ourselves against the real danger, which is Iran."

On violence in Gaza, Gillerman said the Israelis have shown "remarkable restraint" over the past week, while Palestinian terrorists launched over 150 Qassam rockets into southern Israel. One woman was killed Monday and 16 have been wounded throughout the week.

Israel decided last week to start hitting back for the rocket barrages, and at least 40 Palestinians have been killed in airstrikes targeting terror operatives. Gillerman defended Israel's decision, saying it was doing what any democratic country would do in the same situation.

When asked about the threat from Hizbullah in Lebanon, Gillerman said his government had clear evidence that the group was rearming with the help of Iran and Syria, and that Israel would be ready to defend itself if threatened again.

Israel has accused Syria of breaking the embargo on arms transfers to Lebanon, and the UN Security Council issued a statement last month expressing serious concern at such reports.

The event was sponsored by The Israel Project, a private advocacy group.