‘In what world do you reside?’: Israeli FM slams UN chief Antonio Guterres
On Tuesday, Israeli international minister Eli Cohen sharply criticised UN Secretary-Basic Antonio Guterres for his remarks on Israel’s actions in Gaza. Cohen vividly described the brutal assaults by Hamas on civilians and questioned Guterres throughout a Safety Council assembly, asking, “Mr Secretary-Basic, in what world do you reside?” Following this, Cohen knowledgeable the media that he had determined to cancel a scheduled assembly with the UN chief.
Guterres had beforehand identified “clear violations” of worldwide legislation by Israel in its response to the October 7 assault by Hamas. He urged for a direct humanitarian ceasefire. Moreover, Guterres commented that the actions of Hamas weren’t remoted occasions, referencing the extended “56 years of suffocating occupation” that Palestinians have confronted.
Guterres additionally mentioned that the Hamas assaults didn’t happen “in a vacuum,” pointing to “56 years of suffocating occupation” endured by the Palestinians.
In response, Cohen questioned the feasibility of a ceasefire with an entity that’s dedicated to Israel’s destruction, stating, “How are you going to comply with a ceasefire with somebody who swore to kill and destroy your personal existence?” He additionally refuted the notion that the present violence was a results of occupation, reminding that Israel had utterly withdrawn from Gaza in 2005. Nevertheless, after Hamas seized management, Israel initiated a blockade on the economically challenged area, which stays in impact. Moreover, Israel continues its occupation of the West Financial institution.
Gilad Erdan, Israel’s vocal UN ambassador, took to X (beforehand referred to as Twitter) to demand Guterres’s resignation. He accused the UN chief of displaying sympathy for acts of terrorism and violence.
Within the midst of those tensions, a spokesperson for Guterres introduced that the Secretary-Basic would proceed with a deliberate assembly with representatives of households held by Hamas in Gaza. The assembly would come with a consultant from the Israeli mission, however Cohen wouldn’t be in attendance, as per the UN spokesperson’s assertion.
(With inputs from businesses)
