In response to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' recent remarks at the Security Council, Israel's ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, announced that Israel will be denying visas to United Nations officials.
Guterres criticized Israel for its evacuation of civilians in the Gaza Strip, stating that the recent attack by Hamas on October 7 didn't occur "in a vacuum" but in the context of decades of occupation faced by the Palestinians. While many countries praised Guterres' balanced approach, Israel expressed strong discontent, with officials even calling for Guterres' resignation.
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen was so perturbed by the remarks that he cancelled a scheduled meeting with the UN secretary-general. Ambassador Erdan emphasized, "Due to his remarks, we will refuse to issue visas to UN representatives," further stating that a visa for Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths had already been denied.
In response, Guterres posted an excerpt from his speech on a social media platform criticizing both Hamas and Israel for their roles in the Gaza crisis. He stated, "The grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify the horrific attacks by Hamas. Those horrendous attacks cannot justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people." The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned Israel's call for Guterres' resignation, deeming it an unprovoked attack.
Approximately 5,800 Palestinian civilians have been killed in retaliatory Israeli bombings across the Gaza Strip in the past two weeks. Guterres, who recently visited the Rafah crossing to facilitate aid delivery, welcomed the entry of three aid convoys. However, he noted that this assistance is only a small fraction of what is urgently needed. The UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) warned it would cease operations due to a shortage of fuel. Guterres reiterated his call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to alleviate the immense suffering of innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
