United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has reaffirmed his stance regarding the recent Hamas attack, emphasizing that these terrible acts cannot be used to justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people. He originally expressed that the Hamas attacks should be seen within a broader context, acknowledging the presence of terrorism and violence. In response to these comments, Guterres posted on X (formerly Twitter), stating, "The suffering of the Palestinian people cannot excuse the horrific attacks by Hamas. These dreadful acts should not lead to the collective punishment of the Palestinian population."
Subsequently, the Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations called for the immediate resignation of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, accusing him of showing understanding toward the tragic events involving the loss of innocent lives in Israel. The Ambassador shared his sentiments on a microblogging platform, saying, "Engaging in dialogue with individuals who express sympathy for the heinous acts committed against the citizens of Israel and the Jewish community serves no purpose. There are simply no words."
The Ambassador went on to argue that Guterres's remarks during the Israel-Hamas conflict demonstrated a significant disconnect from the reality in Israel and an erroneous interpretation of the rocket attacks initiated by Hamas. He particularly highlighted a speech made by the UN Secretary-General during a Security Council meeting, which occurred while rocket attacks were ongoing across Israel. According to the Ambassador, this speech revealed Guterres's distorted and morally questionable perspective on the tragic events attributed to Hamas terrorists.
In response to Guterres's statements, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen canceled a scheduled meeting with him. Cohen addressed the Security Council, displaying photographs of Israeli children who had been held hostage, describing them as innocent victims of evil. He also played an audio recording, allegedly featuring a Hamas terrorist boasting about killing Israelis. Cohen identified individuals present in the council chamber as relatives of those killed or taken hostage by Hamas.
These developments underscore the escalating tensions following the Hamas attacks and Israel's retaliatory airstrikes, which Palestinian authorities claim have resulted in the deaths of over 5,000 people.
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