'Israel' denies visas to UN officials to 'teach' them a lesson
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This comes after "Israel's" ambassador to the UN declared on Army Radio that "Israel" would no longer grant visas to UN representatives to teach them a lesson.
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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (AFP)
Due to remarks made by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the UN, "Israel" says 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 had 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
Speaking to the UN, the secretary-general continued, saying that the attack on "Israel" was not "in a vacuum" and that it came after "56 years of suffocating occupation" by "Israel" for the Palestinian people.
"They have seen their land steadily devoured by settlements and plagued by violence; their economy stifled; their people displaced and their homes demolished. Their hopes for a political solution to their plight have been vanishing," he added.
Erdan described Guterres' address as "shocking" and called on him to resign.
"He views the massacre committed by Nazi Hamas terrorists in a distorted and immoral manner," he added.
Guterres infuriates 'Israel' after calling out its violations, crimes
Tuesday's 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?"
So far, proposals for a ceasefire have been rejected by "Israel" and its supporters. However, completely disregarding the thousands that have fallen victim to Israeli atrocities so far, US officials have hinted that in some locations, a more constrained "humanitarian pause" would be possible to get aid.
Read: Israeli FM annuls UN chief meeting over Palestinian suffering comment
