As the international community looks towards a solution for the ongoing conflict in Gaza, Israel has called for the resignation of United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres over his comments yesterday regarding Israel’s actions in Gaza. This comes as disagreements over a pathway to ceasefire arise between the United States and Russia; and the leaders of Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Islamic Jihad meet to discuss a path to “all-out victory” against Israel.
UN Secretary-General’s comments cause anger from Israel
Following a speech by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the UN on Tuesday, Israeli officials have widely condemned the speaker, with the Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan calling for his immediate resignation. During the speech, Guterres stated that it was essential to recognise that “the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum”, with Palestinians having been “subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation”.
Israeli officials were quick to condemn the words of the Secretary-General, with Foreign Minister Eli Cohen who was present at the debate apparently being “so upset” that “he canceled a meeting with the secretary-general that was due to take place on Tuesday afternoon”. This comes as Israeli Ambassador Erdan issued remarks stating that Israel will now refuse to issue visas to UN representatives, stating that “the time has come to teach them a lesson”, whilst unequivocally calling on Guterres to resign from his position. This criticism has drawn support from key Israeli allies, including the United Kingdom, with British immigration minister Robert Jenrick saying in an interview with Sky News that the British government does not believe Israel has broken international law in its retaliation against Hamas’s attacks on October 7th, stating, “there is a clear right in international law for a nation to defend itself, and that is what Israel is doing”.
Whilst Israeli officials were quick to condemn Guterres, they acknowledged only small parts of his speech to the United Nations, in which more broadly, he condemned the “horrifying and unprecedented” acts of terror by Hamas in Israel on October 7th, stating that “nothing can justify the deliberate killing, injuring and kidnapping of civilians, or the launching of rockets against civilian targets”.
As part of his speech, Guterres described how Palestinians have “Seen their land steadily devoured by settlements and plagued by violence; their economy stifled; their people displaced and their homes demolished”, whilst acknowledging his deep concern regarding the clear violations of international humanitarian law that is being witnessed in Gaza and reaffirming that no party within an armed conflict is above international humanitarian law. Further to this, Guterres noted what he believed to be “the only realistic foundation for true peace and stability” – a two-State solution, whereby Israel must see their legitimate needs for security materialised, and where Palestinians must see their legitimate aspirations for an independent state materialised. Only time will tell whether the brokering of peace between Hamas and Israel remains on the cards given the renewed and divisive conflict.
The United States vs Russia – A UN Perspective
This comes amidst the growing, arguably pre-existing, rift between Russia and the United States over the Israel-Palestine conflict, with both Security Council nations having put forward rival plans at the United Nations to help Palestinians caught in the crossfire between Israel and Hamas. The US has called for a pause in the conflict to allow aid into Gaza, while Russia is proposing an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, which has been backed by the vast majority of Arab states.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made the case for a US draught revolution at a Security Council meeting on Tuesday, arguing the body had a crucial role to play and that the US text “sets out practical steps”, which comes after the US vetoed a Brazilian drafted resolution for humanitarian pause last week, arguing that time was needed for US-led diplomacy to focus on brokering aid access to Gaza on the ground and balancing the freeing of hostages held by Hamas. But many in the international community remain staunchly opposed to both the US draft resolution and a US-led diplomatic effort in the region, given that the resolution stated the legitimate right of Israel to self-defence, and given that the United States remains a key Israeli ally.
Arab states made clear at the United Nations on Tuesday that they firmly back the Russian call for a humanitarian ceasefire, with Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry stating that “We followed with regret the inability of this council twice to adopt a resolution or even to call for a ceasefire to end this war”.
Hezbollah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad discuss plans for victory
Top leaders of Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Islamic Jihad have met to discuss what that alliance can do to achieve “all-out victory”. The meeting, which was attended by Hezbollah’s Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Islamic Jihad chief Ziad al-Nakhala, and Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri on Wednesday, discussed the growing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel across the Lebanese border, in which there have been daily exchanges between Hezbollah and the IDF which have so far killed upwards of 50 people. The groups have engaged in multiple crossfires with Israel since October 7th.
The meeting also discussed the intensifying conflict within the Gaza Strip, as well as discussing steps to be taken by the self-named ‘Axis of Resistance’ against Israel in order to secure victory, and to stop the “brutal attack on the oppressed people of Gaza and the West Bank” as quoted in a statement from Hezbollah. The meeting of these three groups signals a possible coordinated strike, which so far has not been seen since the conflict began almost three weeks ago, whilst also signaling a worrying escalation of the already dire situation in the region.
Rafah Crossing Remains Open for Aid
A welcome sigh of relief comes in the form of the continued opening of the Rafah crossing for aid delivery to Gaza, as a further miserably inadequate but more than nothing eight trucks containing humanitarian aid such as food, water, and medical equipment were allowed to cross into the strip on Tuesday evening. This marks the fourth aid convoy that has been permitted to enter Gaza since a deal was brokered between Egypt, Israel and the US last week against intense international pressure.
The crossing remains closed for the tens of thousands of foreign nationals hoping to be allowed across the border into Egypt. Egypt remains credibly staunch in its position of not allowing Palestinian refugees into Egypt in their hundreds of thousands. For the past decade, Egypt has faced insecurity near the border with Gaza in north-eastern Sinai due to an ongoing Islamic insurgency and is additionally concerned at the prospect of resettling hundreds of thousands of Palestinians for an unknown period as the Israel-Palestine war rages on. In spite of shameful calls from the international community to open the Rafah crossing to refugee flows, Egypt remains firm in its stance. To do otherwise would be to be culpable in promoting ethnic cleansing. And whilst aid continues to trickle into Gaza, the UN remains clear that the aid that has already been delivered is insignificant and far from adequate to support the 2.3 million Gazans currently under siege.
Britain’s Police overstep the mark
Sadly Britain’s police force is becoming overzealous in its support for Israel. This video is a prime example:
A UK police officer pays a home visit to a man for hanging a Palestinian flag out of his window. pic.twitter.com/tGuPIGJ0Mq
— Lowkey (@Lowkey0nline) October 21, 2023
On a more amusing note, there are some that still blame the UK for the troubles of the Middle East and shall always do so. This one made us smile:
https://www.facebook.com/reel/351711410612890
Further updates on international perspectives to be posted daily
The image used first above is from Hosny Saleh
