Israelʼs ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, said that his country will deny visas to UN officials after the words of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about Palestine and Hamas.
"Because of his remarks, we will refuse to issue visas to UN representatives," Erdan told army radio, as "The Times of Israel" reports.
"We have already refused a visa to Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths. Itʼs time to teach them a lesson," noted Erdan.
At the meeting of the UN Security Council dedicated to the war between Israel and Hamas, the UN Secretary General stated that "it is important to recognize that the attacks by Hamas did not take place in a vacuum."
"The Palestinian people have suffered 56 years of suffocating occupation. They have seen their land constantly devoured by settlements and plagued by violence; their economy is stifled; their people displaced and their homes destroyed. Their hopes for a political solution to this situation are disappearing," Guterres said.
At the same time, he added that "the discontent of the Palestinian people cannot justify the terrible attacks of Hamas."
After this speech, representatives of Israel criticized the Secretary General.
Gilad Erdan believes that UN Secretary General Guterres should resign.
- On October 7, Hamas attacked Israel. As of October 23, Israel continues to prepare for a ground operation in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli side claims almost 1 500 dead citizens, Hamas claims more than 5 000 dead Palestinians. The total number of confirmed victims among Ukrainians in Israel: 19 dead and one missing. Three people were killed in the Gaza Strip.