Israel ‘rejects’ UN Secretary-General António Guterres

Tel Aviv/New York: Claiming that the problem with the present conflict is terror, Israel’s President Isaac Herzog today “absolutely rejected” the words of United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres who said that the attacks by Hamas “did not happen in a vacuum”. Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, has already demanded the resignation of Guterres for his statement in the UN General Assembly.

In an interview with French News Channel BFMTV, President Hezog said: “I heard the comments of the Secretary General of the United Nations Guterres. In a way, he eluded as if the source of all this evil has to do with the conflict. I absolutely reject his words. Because there was a sort of implication or even consent for atrocities, for terror. The problem with the conflict is terror. The most inherent problem that derails the peace process between the Israelis and the Palestinians has to do with terror. We have been suffering endless terror – day in and day out. In my last year as President, I visited mourning families throughout the country. But now we have seen the most atrocious example of what terror is all about. Since World War Two, since the Holocaust, there hasn’t been such a number of Jews killed in one day.”

Guterres, on October 24, 2023, had told the UN Security Council that “It is important to also recognize the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum.  The Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation. They have seen their land steadily devoured by settlements and plagued by violence; their economy stifled; their people displaced and their homes demolished.  Their hopes for a political solution to their plight have been vanishing. But, the grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify the appalling attacks by Hamas.  And those appalling attacks cannot justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people. Even war has rules”. 

Soon after his speech, Israel’s ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan posted on X that, in effect,  Guterres’s speech had sought to “justify Hamas’s brutal assault” which left some 1,400 dead, mainly civilians. Yesterday, Erdan again took to X, seeking the resignation of the UN Secretary-General. “It is simply a shame that the UN Secretary-General still does not apologize for the distorted statements he said – he must resign!!  The Secretary-General clearly said yesterday that Hamas’ campaign of slaughter and murder “did not happen in a vacuum.” Every person understood very well that he blamed Israel or at least showed understanding for the massacre. A Secretary-General who does not understand that the murder of innocents does not and cannot have any “background”, cannot be Secretary General! We will work to deliver a clear message to the UN – we will not accept the continued bias and hatred towards Israel!”

Guterres hit back saying  he was “shocked by the misrepresentation by some of my statement.” Acknowledging that he had indeed spoken of Palestinian grievances, he stressed he had also said in the Council that “the grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify the appalling attacks by Hamas.”

Meanwhile, Israel today claimed to have killed the Commander of Hamas’ Northern Khan Yunis Rockets Array, Hassan Al-Abdullah. While the IDF fighter jets are continuing to strike Hamas terror infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, including military command centres and rocket launch posts, the IDF stated that Hamas was still using the residents of the Gaza Strip as human shields, preventing their evacuation to southern Gaza.

“Over the past few days, residents in the northern Gaza Strip have been notified to evacuate to the south for their safety. Hamas is not allowing them to evacuate to the south. As we have seen in the past, they use a variety of methods including roadblocks,” the IDF stated today, claiming that over the past day, IDF fighter jets struck over 250 Hamas terror targets in the Gaza Strip, including terror infrastructure, operational command centres, tunnel shafts, and rocket launchers placed in the heart of civilian areas that fired toward Israeli territory throughout the war.

In the meantime, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the timing of the Israeli Defence Forces’ ground incursion in Gaza will be determined unanimously by the War Cabinet, together with the IDF Chief-of-Staff. Asserting once again that the preparations were on for the IDF action, Netanyahu said, “I repeat to the non-involved population in Gaza: evacuate to the south of the [Gaza] strip”.  The Prime Minister’s office said that the Israeli Government doesn’t want any innocent lives to be taken away in this war; that is why before attacking Gaza and erasing Hamas, the Prime Minister and IDF  were taking the time to remind the citizens to flee as far away as possible, in hope to be spared. In his address to the nation yesterday, Netanyahu spelt out the two goals he had set for this war: 1) To eliminate Hamas by destroying its military and governing abilities; and 2) To do everything possible to bring the captives home. “All Hamas terrorists are dead men walking – above ground, below ground, outside Gaza,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Erdan today referred to a vote on a proposed resolution submitted by Jordan tomorrow (Friday October 27, 2023), which he termed as “distorted and disconnected from reality”. He said the proposal completely ignores the existence of Hamas and ISIS, does not mention the barbaric massacre and calls for an immediate ceasefire. “The group of Muslim countries uses (as usual) the automatic majority it has in the assembly to pass despicable resolutions against Israel, but we will not give in and present on the UN stage the true face of the Nazi terrorist organization Hamas!” he said.

President Herzog, as quoted by his spokesperson today,  spoke about the issue of the rise in antisemitism, and said, “We are extremely concerned all over the world… I think it’s a major challenge for the world to deal with the rise in antisemitism.”

Incidentally, in the midst of the “Swords of Iron” War (the Israeli military response into Gaza following the Hamas-terrorist attacks on October 7), a group of 26 new Olim [Jewish immigrants to Israel] from France landed last night in Israel on a special flight of the Jewish Agency and the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration. 

The Minister of Aliyah [Immigration to the Holy Land] and Integration, Ofir Sofer and Chairman of the Jewish Agency, Major General (Res.) Doron Almog welcomed them at Ben-Gurion Airport and gave them their new Israeli identity cards.

The cities that received the most olim are- Jerusalem, Haifa, Hadera, Netanya, Bat Yam, Bnei Brak and Tel Aviv.

Most of the Olim on the flight, embracing the State of Israel, were young people between the ages of 18 and 35. The youngest oleh (singular of Olim) was a one-year-old toddler who came to Israel with her two-year-old sister and her two parents. The oldest oleh was an 80-year-old man coming to Israel with his 72-year-old wife.

Miriam, a student who came to Jerusalem with her two friends, said: “Despite the tensions, we are happy to do it, become Israeli citizens and start our lives in Israel.”

Minister of  Aliyah and Integration, Ofir Sofer said: “It is a great privilege to see the new olim from France entering Israel. During these hard times, the olim are strengthening our eternal belief in the Jewish people and the righteousness of our struggle. This Aliyah in these times of war is an act of solidarity and encouragement to our soldiers and the whole country.  We will continue to fulfill the prophecy of returning to Zion at all times.”

Chairman of the Jewish Agency, Major General Doron Almog, said, “The choice to make aliyah during these days is heartwarming and strengthening the unity and resilience of Israeli society.  Olims are an integral part of building the State of Israel and in these times of immense emergency, we see how significant their part is and a source of hope. I embrace each and every one of them.”