President of Israel: Denmark's Lack of Protest Regarding Palestinian Terrorism

(Communicated by the President’s Spokeswoman)

Jerusalem----July 26.......In response to journalists’ questions on the issue, President Moshe
Katsav this morning said that Denmark has reacted in an astonishing manner regarding the appointment of Mr. Carmi Gillon as Israel’s Ambassador to Denmark.

President Katsav noted that Gillon acted in accordance with governmentdecisions and with government backing, and under court supervision, while he was Director of the ISA.

“To my regret, Denmark did not protest, as required, when Palestinian terrorists were blowing up crowded shopping centers, discotheques, and railway stations in which dozens of citizens were killed, including women and children,” President Katsav said, adding that, “I did not hear that Denmark undertook any international initiative when Palestinian terrorists used stones to smash the skulls of two 14-year-old boys (see <http://www.israel-mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH0jxr0> and <http://www.israel mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH0jxs0>) or when two innocent soldiers were brutally lynched (see <http://www.israel-mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH0ik20> and <http://www.israel mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH0ik30>).”

President Katsav said that while Carmi Gillon and his colleagues did not succeed in preventing these events, they did succeed – happily – in preventing dozens of similar brutal terrorist attacks.

“The Danish government should know,” President Katsav said, “that the bulwarks of Israeli democracy, including the Knesset, the courts and the press, are among the most developed and the strongest in the world in protecting human rights, and that the Israeli security forces are among the most morally enlightened in the democratic world.”