'Israel' revokes UN official's visa over anti-genocide stance
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Due to her refusal to condemn the Palestinian Resistance for Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, Israeli authorities have opted to cancel the residency permit of UN Humanitarian Coordinator Lynn Hastings.
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A mother cries for her daughter, who was killed in the Israeli bombardment in Deir el-Balah on December 2. (AP)
Israeli occupation authorities have decided to revoke the "residence visa" of UN Humanitarian Coordinator Lynn Hastings in the occupied Palestinian territories, citing her failure to condemn the Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas for Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen announced the decision, stating that Hastings cannot serve in the UN or enter the occupied territories over condemning "Israel", which he referred to as "democratic", instead of condemning Palestinian Resistance Hamas.
“We will no longer be silent in the face of the bias of the UN!” he said.
Israel has canceled the visa of Lynn Hastings, the Head of the United Nations humanitarian operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
— Pelham (@Resist_05) December 6, 2023
Israel has targeted and killed over 80 journalists and their families…
Israel doesn’t want the world to witness their War Crimes in… pic.twitter.com/whVINvJawQ
The decision to revoke Hastings' "residence" visa followed her strong criticism of "Israel's" genocide in Gaza.
In a statement on Monday, Hastings mentioned that the necessary conditions for providing aid to the people of Gaza are not present.
“If possible, an even more hellish scenario is about to unfold, one in which humanitarian operations may not be able to respond,” she said.
“Nowhere is safe in Gaza and there is nowhere left to go,” the senior UN official added.
Hasting's statements parallel those of UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, who recently asserted that there are no secure areas in Gaza, even among shelters displaying the UN flag.
Since the humanitarian truce expired, the Israeli entity has been engaging in renewed massacres all across the Strip.
While the genocide is ongoing, the latest figures on the death toll in Gaza indicate that 16,248 have been martyred and another 43,616 have been injured.
Read next: In Gaza, 'nowhere is safe' amid ongoing, indiscriminate bombing: UN
Not an isolated incident
Due to remarks made by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the UN, "Israel" said, on October 25, it has denied a visa to UN Humanitarian Affairs Chief Martin Griffiths.
According to Israeli media, Gilad Erdan, "Israel's" ambassador to the UN, declared on Army Radio that "Israel" would no longer grant visas to UN representatives as a result of Guterres' comments. Martin Griffiths, the undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs, has already had his visa denied. It is now necessary "to teach them a lesson," as per the Israeli occupation.
"Israel" has demanded the resignation of Guterres after highlighting Israeli crimes and "the clear violations of international humanitarian law that we are witnessing in Gaza," stating that the Resistance's operation on October 7 cannot justify the "collective punishment of the Palestinian people."
Guterres said, "Nothing can justify the deliberate killing, injuring, and kidnapping of civilians – or the launching of rockets against civilian targets. All hostages must be treated humanely and released immediately and without conditions."
"Protecting civilians does not mean ordering one million people to evacuate to the South, where there is no shelter, no food, no water, no medicine, and no fuel, and continue to bomb the South itself."
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) October 25, 2023
- #UN Secretary-General Antonio #Guterres speaks of Israeli war crimes in… pic.twitter.com/h2xOQLcFCn
At the time, a statement by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on "Israel" to end its aggression, citing the "epic suffering" that Gaza is currently experiencing.
"The relentless bombardment of Gaza by Israeli forces, the level of civilian casualties, and the wholesale destruction of neighborhoods continue to mount and are deeply alarming," he told the UN Security Council in New York.
"I am deeply concerned about the clear violations of international humanitarian law that we are witnessing in Gaza," he added. "Let me be clear: No party to an armed conflict is above international humanitarian law."
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen reacted angrily to that warning and demanded Guterres to know, "Mr Secretary-General, in what world do you live?"
Read: Israeli FM annuls UN chief meeting over Palestinian suffering comment
The Israeli decision to revoke the residence visa of UN Humanitarian Coordinator Lynn Hastings is part of a broader pattern where "Israel" reacts strongly against individuals who condemn the genocide against Palestinians. In short, the move reflects Israeli anger and measures taken against anyone critical of its atrocities in the region.
