Israeli officials are furious and determined to teach the UN chief a lesson for his perceived justification of the Hamas attack.
Furious Israeli Officials Vow to Teach UN Chief ‘A Lesson’ After His ‘Justifying’ of Hamas Attack
Israeli officials were outraged Wednesday over U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ comment that the deadly Hamas attack on southern Israel “did not happen in a vacuum,” calling it justification for terrorism.
“I will not meet with the UN secretary-general. After the October 7 massacre, there is no place for a balanced approach. Hamas must be erased off the face of the planet!”
Israel’s envoy to the U.N. Gilad Erdan called for his resignation, saying Israel must rethink its relations with the world body.
“We will refuse to grant visas to U.N. representatives. We have already refused to give one to Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths,”
Israel historically has had tense relations with the U.N., accusing it of being biased against it.
On Tuesday, Guterres addressed a special Security Council meeting on the Israel-Hamas war that was sparked by the militant group’s Oct. 7 attack, which left at least 1,400 Israelis dead, and more than 220 taken hostage.
Israeli airstrikes have destroyed large swaths of the Gaza enclave, leaving at least 6,500 Palestinians killed, including over 2,700 children, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.
The U.N. chief told the council that he “condemned unequivocally the horrifying and unprecedented 7 October acts of terror by Hamas in Israel.”
“Nothing can justify the deliberate killing, injuring and kidnapping of civilians — or the launching of rockets against civilian targets,”
But his contextualization of the attack created an uproar in Israel. It was important, Guterres said, to acknowledge that “the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum.”
“The Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation. They have seen their land steadily devoured by settlements and plagued by violence; their economy stifled; their people displaced and their homes demolished. Their hopes for a political solution to their plight have been vanishing,” he said.
On Wednesday, Guterres tried to walk back the comments, tweeting: “The grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify the horrific attacks by Hamas. Those horrendous attacks cannot justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.”
But Israel was not mollified.
“The slaughter of Jew[s] by Hamas on October 7th was genocidal in its intents and immeasurably brutal in its form,”
He said that it tests the sincerity of world leaders who came to Yad Vashem and pledged “Never Again.”
”Those who seek to ‘understand,’ look for a justifying context, do not condemn the perpetrators, and do not call for the unconditional and immediate release of the abducted — fail the test. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres failed the test.”
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
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How do Israeli officials interpret Guterres’ remarks as implying their responsibility for the aggression faced from Hamas?
F the attack infuriated Israeli officials. They feel that Guterres’ remarks imply that Israel is somehow responsible for the aggression it faces from Hamas.
The Israeli Foreign Minister, Eli Cohen, expressed his strong reaction to Guterres’ comments by refusing to meet with the UN Secretary-General. Cohen made it clear that he believes there is no room for a balanced approach after the October 7 massacre perpetrated by Hamas. He went so far as to call for the eradication of Hamas from the face of the planet, emphasizing the severity of the situation.
Gilad Erdan, Israel’s envoy to the U.N., also expressed his discontent with Guterres’ remarks, calling for his resignation. Erdan argues that Israel needs to reassess its relationship with the international organization. As a first step, Israel has already denied visas to U.N. representatives, including Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths.
It is not surprising that Israel has had a tense relationship with the U.N. throughout its history. Israel has long accused the organization of bias against it, and the recent remarks made by Guterres have further fueled these accusations.
During a special Security Council meeting, Guterres addressed the Israel-Hamas war, which was triggered by the October 7 attack by Hamas. The attack resulted in the deaths of at least 1,400 Israelis and the hostage-taking of over 220 individuals. In response, Israel has conducted airstrikes that have caused significant destruction in the Gaza enclave. The Hamas-run Health Ministry reported the deaths of at least 6,500 Palestinians, including over 2,700 children.
While Guterres condemned the acts of terror by Hamas, he also made remarks that contextualize the attack. Israeli officials took offense to his suggestion that the attack did not occur in isolation, believing that it implies Israeli responsibility for the aggression it faces.
Israeli officials are furious and demand a retraction of Guterres’ comments. They argue that nothing justifies the deliberate killing, injuring, and kidnapping of civilians, as well as the targeting of civilian areas with rockets.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas is complex and deeply rooted in historical tensions. In such situations, it is crucial for international leaders to choose their words carefully and avoid implying blame or justifications. It is understandable that Israeli officials are incensed by Guterres’ comments and demand a more balanced approach from the U.N. in addressing the conflict. It remains to be seen how this latest controversy will impact the already strained relationship between Israel and the U.N.
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