Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at an Event Titled “Standing With Israel” Hosted by Ambassador Gilad Erdan of the Israel Mission to the United Nations

New York – Rashad Alkhader – Free Yemen Eye – Unedited Natons

Good afternoon. I want to start by thanking Gilad. I am very grateful to have you as a colleague here.

During an address marking the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, Elie Weisel called on the world to observe the silence of anguish.

He said: “Close your eyes and listen. Listen to the silent screams of terrified mothers, the prayers of anguished old men and women. Listen to the tears of children. Jewish children, a beautiful little girl among them, with golden hair, whose vulnerable tenderness has never left me. Look and listen as they walk towards dark flames so gigantic that the planet itself seemed in danger.”

To Danielle, Sharon, David, Julie, Emma, Amelia. To Doron, Raz, Aviv, Efrat, Gadi. To Hersh. To the family of Yafa Adar, the 85-year-old whose image is seared in my brain, as she sat with resolve next to her captors.

I cannot imagine the pain and anguish you are going through. Not knowing the fate of your loved ones is unfathomable. It is a reality brought by the bloody hand of Hamas terrorists that no one should ever, ever be forced to endure.

The world has seen the barbarism committed by Hamas. This evil will be etched in our minds forever. And it will be cemented in our hearts for years to come.

Let us be clear: There is absolutely no place for this evil in the world. No justification. No excuse.

Know that the United States, working closely with our Israeli partners, is doing everything we can to secure the release of all hostages. To secure the release of children, who will never, ever, be the same again.

And while we cannot even begin to comprehend the horror wrought upon so many families across Israel – your families – we can listen. And we can stand with the people of Israel. We can stand shoulder to shoulder. We can stand with you today, tomorrow, and every day.

Thank you very much.