Expressing strong dissatisfaction with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's recent remarks cautioning against "collective punishment" of the Palestinians following the violence by Hamas militants on October 7, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, has called for Guterres's resignation, asserting that the UN chief has "expressed an understanding for terrorism and murder."
"I am deeply concerned about the clear violations of international humanitarian law that we are witnessing in Gaza. Let me be clear: No party to an armed conflict is above international humanitarian law," Guterres remarked, refraining from directly naming Israel.
Guterres also noted that the Hamas attacks "did not occur in isolation" and that Palestinians have endured "56 years of oppressive occupation."
The UN chief's statement infuriated Gilad Erdan, who promptly demanded his resignation. Erdan declared on X (formerly Twitter), “The UN Secretary General is disconnected from reality and must resign!! Today I stood at the entrance to the Security Council together with the families of the abductees and called on the Secretary General to resign. A Secretary General who seeks justification for the terrible massacre committed in us cannot remain in his position. Every day from now that he continues in his position is a disgrace and proves that the UN has no right to exist!”
Rejecting the linkage of the violence to the occupation, Cohen argued that Israel gave Gaza to the Palestinians "to the last millimeter" with its withdrawal in 2005.
On October 7, Hamas militants infiltrated into Israel and targeted predominantly civilian sites, including families and a music festival, resulting in the deaths of at least 1,400 individuals and the abduction of more than 220 hostages, as reported by Israeli officials.
According to the Hamas-run health ministry in the Gaza Strip, over 5,700 Palestinians, primarily civilians, have been killed in retaliatory Israeli airstrikes.
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