"The Arab world is in flames and the Security Council is dealing with construction permits in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank)," Israel's United Nations envoy Ron Prossor said in a speech at the UN Security Council on Tuesday.

Prosor used the Security Council's monthly meeting on the situation in the Middle East to direct harsh criticism at the body.

Open gallery view Israeli envoy to the UN Ron Prosor Credit: GPO

"The obsession with Israeli and the ignoring of countries where civilians are tortured and killed undermines the credibility and calls into question the relevance of the Security Council," Prosor said.

"Iran's efforts to develop nuclear weapons represent the greatest threat to peace and security in the world," Prosor said. "The silence of the Security Council will be very costly. You must act today. Tomorrow will be too late."

"The thought of Iran equipped with nuclear weapons should take sleep from the eyes of Security Council member states," Prosor said. "The international community cannot stand by idly while the Ayatollah's regime works to combine extremist ideology with nuclear technology."

Prosor also attacked the Security Council for its silence on continued rocket fire at Israel from the Gaza Strip. He mentioned a letter he sent to the council protesting the rocket fire.

"But we have still not heard condemnation from the Security Council or the Palestinian Authority," Prosor said.

On UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's expected upcoming visit to Israel, Prosor said: "I hope that the Secrtary-General's visit will provide a new perspective on the real barriers to peace and security in the region and illuminate the true problems of terror, extremism and incitement in our region."