Pro-Israel protesters interrupt UN Security Council meeting, call for freeing hostages

"As the United Nations Security Council met about the Israeli-Palestinian file on Wednesday, two women interrupted the proceedings calling for the hostages to be freed from Gaza.

Yaffa Ben-David, who leads the Israel Teachers Union, told Israeli media that it was her ‘duty to influence in every place I can, even if it means I’m expelled from the hall.’

Protests inside the Security Council chamber are rare. Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, who was chairing the quarterly open debate on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, didn’t appear to understand the women’s cries.

‘I don’t understand. Speak more clearly,’ the Russian diplomat said. ‘One of you can speak clearly to say what you want to say. I see you don’t wish to do so. Very well.’

Ben-David said later that ‘it’s time for the U.N. to understand that this is about human life and that we, the people of Israel, won’t give up on a single hostage.’ She pointed to an image of the hostage Ohad Yahalomi, who ‘is married to one of our teachers, who I’ve personally supported, and seen her pain and struggle from up close.’

A U.N. official said the women were asked to leave the chamber and did so peacefully, without further incident. The second woman, who held a sign that said, in Hebrew, ‘the people of Israel lives’ with a Star of David, has yet to be identified publicly.

Ben-David wrote on Facebook in Hebrew that ‘today at the U.N. Security Council, I raised the picture of the kidnapped Ohad Yahlomi and read ‘the people of Israel lives’ and ‘bring them home.’ I am committed to raising the voices of the families and demanding the release of the captives. We won’t be quiet until they all return home.’

The Jewish State has criticized the Security Council, and the United Nations at-large, harshly for largely ignoring the plight of the hostages. Only once has the council met with a focus on the hostages, and that gathering was informal..."