Israel - Hamas War : He does not deserve to lead United Nations says Israeli minister
On a visit to the UN office in Geneva on Tuesday, Israeli Foreign minister Eli Cohen called on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to quit in reaction to his condemnation of israel last month, according to The Times of Israel. Cohen is in Geneva visiting the UN office and meeting with the international Committee of the red Cross and the World health Organisation.
"(United Nations Secretary-General Antonio) Guterres does not deserve to lead the UN." Guterres did not encourage a regional peace process...Guterres, like all democratic nations, should speak clearly and loudly, 'democratic Gaza from Hamas,'" Cohen stated during a news conference at the United Nations in Geneva.
According to The Times of israel, his reply came after Guterres severely condemned israel last month, arguing that while nothing excuses Hamas's atrocities, they did not occur in a vacuum.
Earlier this month, Guterres expressed his outrage at a suspected air strike on an ambulance convoy near Gaza's Al-Shifa Hospital.
Following the attack on the al-Ahli hospital, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Twitter, "I am horrified by the killing of hundreds of Palestinian civilians in a strike on a hospital in Gaza today, which I strongly condemn."
"(United Nations Secretary-General Antonio) Guterres does not deserve to lead the UN." Guterres did not encourage a regional peace process...Guterres, like all democratic nations, should speak clearly and loudly, 'democratic Gaza from Hamas,'" Cohen stated during a news conference at the United Nations in Geneva.
According to The Times of israel, his reply came after Guterres severely condemned israel last month, arguing that while nothing excuses Hamas's atrocities, they did not occur in a vacuum.
Earlier this month, Guterres expressed his outrage at a suspected air strike on an ambulance convoy near Gaza's Al-Shifa Hospital.
Following the attack on the al-Ahli hospital, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Twitter, "I am horrified by the killing of hundreds of Palestinian civilians in a strike on a hospital in Gaza today, which I strongly condemn."
With reports of food, water, medication, and fuel for hospitals and water plants in limited supply in Gaza, Guterres continued, "Not nearly enough food, water, and medicine are coming in to meet people's needs." The fuel used to operate hospitals and water treatment plants is running low."
In response to Guterres' comments, Israel's UN Ambassador, Gilad Erdan, chastised the UN Secretary-General for rushing to blame israel without first gaining a comprehensive picture of the issue.
Invoking the UN Secretary-General's comments in light of a prior suspected air attack on Gaza's al-Ahli hospital, he accused Guterres of making misleading statements about assistance not entering Gaza and disregarding Hamas' purported use of ambulances to advance its nefarious acts.
Furthermore, Foreign minister Cohen demanded today, during a meeting with international Committee of the red Cross (ICRC) president Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, that the international Committee of the red Cross "work through all channels" to secure visits to Hamas hostages in Gaza, according to The Times of Israel.
"We expect the red Cross to put the issue at the top of the organization's priority list, to use all levers of pressure, and not rest until it visits all the hostages, assesses their condition, and makes sure they are receiving the medical care they need," Cohen said.