UN Secretary General António Guterres has rejected continued criticism of the United Nations over the war between Israel and the radical Islamist group Hamas. He himself has been ‘the victim of propaganda’ in recent weeks.
Guterres was referring to the reaction to his controversial statement that Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7 “did not take place in a vacuum.” “My statement was distorted to give the impression that I was a supporter of Hamas or that I was justifying Hamas’ actions, even though I had said the exact opposite,” the UN Secretary General told “Zeit”.
He knows how excitation mechanisms work. “In recent weeks I have been the victim of propaganda.”
Guterres believes he has been treated unfairly
In his statement on the Hamas attack, he pointed out that nothing happened “in a vacuum,” that the Palestinian people had experienced great suffering and that none of this justified “the barbaric attack of Hamas,” Guterres emphasized. The last part of his statement was forgotten.
Listen to Guterres’ statements at the time:
In the interview, the UN Secretary General also commented on the alleged ties of United Nations Palestine Relief Agency (UNRWA) employees to Hamas. The United Nations has “zero tolerance for any infiltration of UNRWA by Hamas” and immediately dismissed the staff involved following the latest allegations, he stressed.
Serious allegations against UNRWA
At the end of January, serious accusations against UNRWA were announced: twelve employees are suspected of being involved in Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Israel. In response to the allegations, numerous countries, including Austria, Germany and the US, have halted payments to the aid agency.
Last weekend, the Israeli military also reported the discovery of a Hamas tunnel under UNRWA headquarters in Gaza city. Guterres said in an interview with “Zeit”: “We are not responsible for tunnels under our buildings.” There is a network of tunnels throughout the Gaza Strip. “So you cannot be sure anywhere in Gaza that there is no tunnel,” Guterres added.
He referred to the danger to UNRWA staff in the Gaza Strip. 156 of them have been murdered in recent weeks. “No other organization has so many people in Gaza who are willing to die doing their work.” Guterres says: “I think we deserve some respect too.”
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.
