UN Secretary-General Guterres condemns Hamas's attacks on Israel – and accuses Israel of complicity. Israel reacts with outrage and takes initial steps.
A heated exchange erupted at a UN Security Council meeting in New York on Tuesday. UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned Hamas's attack on Israel. However, he also stated that "Hamas's attacks did not occur in a vacuum." He explained that the Palestinians have been suffering under a "suffocating occupation" for 56 years.
Furthermore, Guterres criticized Israel's airstrikes on the Gaza Strip and the evacuation order for the civilian population there: "Protecting the civilian population 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 and no fuel, and then continuing to bomb the south itself," Guterres said.
Cancellation of planned meeting
The Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen (Likud), who was present, reacted indignantly to the remarks and replied: "What world do you live in?" And further: "Tell me: What is your proportionate response to the killing of babies, the rape and burning of women, and the beheading of a child?"
Cohen rejected a ceasefire demanded by Guterres: "How can you agree to a ceasefire with someone who has sworn to kill you and destroy your very existence?" He stated that Israel had not wanted the war but would end it. The Likud politician referred to Hamas as "the new Nazis.".
As reported by the news agency dpa, several Arab delegations left the room during Cohen's speech, including those from Algeria, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
On "X", Cohen later cancelled a planned meeting with Guterres, citing Guterres' statements as the reason.
Israel refuses visas
The Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, also commented on the UN Secretary-General's statements. He particularly criticized Guterres' attempt to contextualize the terrorist attack. He stated that this was a justification for terror and murder and a "distorted and immoral view" of the events of October 7th.
Furthermore, Erdan announced that UN officials would no longer be issued visas for Israel. He noted that even the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths, had already been denied a visa. "It's time to teach them a lesson," Erdan said.
On Wednesday, the German-Israeli Society (DIG) called on Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) to support Israel in its dispute with Guterres, arguing that he had effectively delegitimized Israel's right to self-defense. (Israelnetz)
