UN Secretary-General denies justifying Hamas' attack on Israel
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (Getty Images)
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres states that his remarks regarding the justification of Hamas' attack on Israel were misunderstood, reports Reuters.
"I am shocked by the misrepresentations by some of my statement ... as if I was justifying acts of terror by Hamas. This is false. It was the opposite," he said.
However, he did not specifically name Israel.
What did the UN Secretary-General say
Yesterday in New York, a meeting of the UN Security Council was held on the situation in Israel. During the session, Guterres stated that the terrorists' attack was purportedly a result of the Israeli occupation, settlement construction, economic blockade, and house demolitions.
He also accused Israel of violating international law during its military operation in response to the Hamas militants' attack and called for a ceasefire.
"I am deeply concerned about the clear violations of international humanitarian law that we are witnessing in Gaza. Let me be clear: No party to an armed conflict is above international humanitarian law", he said.
At the same time, the UN Secretary-General condemned the act of terror carried out by Hamas militants on October 7th in Israel. He emphasized that nothing can justify the killing and kidnapping of innocent civilians.
Israel's reaction
In response to Guterres's words, Israel's Permanent Representative to the UN, Gilad Erdan, stated that the UN Secretary-General is "completely disconnected from the reality," and his statement is an excuse for terrorism. Additionally, he called on Guterres to resign.
"The @UN Secretary-General, who shows understanding for the campaign of mass murder of children, women, and the elderly, is not fit to lead the UN. I call on him to resign immediately. There is no justification or point in talking to those who show compassion for the most terrible atrocities committed against the citizens of Israel and the Jewish people. There are simply no words", he posted on Twitter.
The @UN Secretary-General, who shows understanding for the campaign of mass murder of children, women, and the elderly, is not fit to lead the UN.
— Ambassador Gilad Erdan גלעד ארדן (@giladerdan1) October 24, 2023
I call on him to resign immediately.
There is no justification or point in talking to those who show compassion for the most…
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen also responded to the UN Secretary-General's statement.
"Mr. Secretary General, in what world do you live? Definitely, this is not our world," Cohen said at a special meeting of the UN Security Council.
The Israeli Minister also announced on his Twitter page that he had canceled a planned meeting with Guterres.
Hamas' attack on Israel
As a reminder, on October 7, Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israeli territory. The militants killed and kidnapped both military personnel and civilians, including foreigners who found themselves in the midst of the fighting.
In response, the Israel Defense Forces launched an operation against the militants and cleared Israeli territory of them.
It is expected that troops will be deployed into the Gaza Strip as part of this operation, but the ground offensive is currently postponed. In the meantime, Israeli forces continue to launch airstrikes on Hamas positions in Gaza.
