During a meeting of the UN Security Council, a blow broke out between Israel and UN Secretary General António Guterres. Israel’s chief diplomat Eli Cohen then canceled a joint meeting and asked the UN chief on cameras: “What world do you live in?”
During Tuesday’s meeting in New York, Guterres again strongly condemned the attacks on Israel by terrorists on behalf of the Islamist Hamas. But then he spoke of an “oppressive occupation” by Israel: “It is important to recognize that Hamas’ attacks did not take place in a vacuum.”
UN chief criticizes bombings
Guterres criticized the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip. “Protecting civilians does not mean ordering more than a million people to evacuate to the south, where there is no shelter, no food, no water, no medicine, no fuel, and then continuing the bombing of the south itself,” said Guterres.
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen then burst his collar. In light of the comments, Israel’s chief diplomat canceled a meeting with Guterres, writing on X (formerly Twitter): “I will not meet the UN Secretary General. After October 7, there will no longer be room for a balanced position.” A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem confirmed the cancellation.
Israel rejects the ceasefire
Guterres also said the Palestinian people have seen their country decimated by settlements and ravaged by violence. Hamas’ attacks could not justify the “collective punishment of the Palestinian people.”
Cohen made his point before the UN Security Council. He held up photos of kidnapped Israelis and talked about their fate. He then shouted at Guterres: “What world do you live in? Certainly not with us.”
Israel’s Foreign Minister rejected a ceasefire with drastic words. “Tell me: what is your proportionate response to the killing of babies, the rape and burning of women, and the beheading of a child? How can you agree to a ceasefire with someone who has vowed to kill you and destroy your own existence?” Israel would not have chosen this war. Hamas are “the new Nazis”.
Arab delegation leaves room
Not everyone wanted to hear that. According to diplomatic sources, some Arab delegations left the room when he spoke, including those from Algeria and Libya. However, representatives of Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates remained seated.
Israeli UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan also strongly condemned Guterres’ comments. Erdan Guterres accused the statement that “the murderous terrorist attack by Nazi Hamas did not take place in a vacuum” as a justification for terror and murder.
Israel calls for UN chief’s resignation
Guterres has a “distorted and immoral view” of the carnage that Hamas terrorists caused in Israel on October 7, Erdan wrote in an X-Post. He called on the UN chief to resign immediately.
Support also comes from the US. “We must affirm the right of every nation to defend itself and prevent such harm from happening again,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. “Not a single member of this council, not a single nation in this entire body could or would tolerate the slaughter of its people.”
Blinken emphasized that Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people. Palestinian civilians cannot be held responsible for Hamas’ massacre and must be protected. “There is no hierarchy when it comes to protecting civilian life. A citizen is a citizen is a citizen, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, age, gender or religion.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
