As RedState reported on October 9, with the Israel-Hamas War roughly 48 hours underway, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres spoke before the General Assembly about the escalating conflict. While Guterres condemned violence on both sides, his criticism of Israel was far more harsh.
Now, 15 days later, Guterres has kicked up his criticism, significantly — of Israel, only.
The situation in the Middle East is growing more dire by the hour. The war in Gaza is raging and risks spiraling throughout the region. Divisions are splintering societies. Tensions threaten to boil over. At a crucial moment like this, it is vital to be clear on principles — starting with the fundamental principle of respecting and protecting civilians.
I have condemned unequivocally the horrifying and unprecedented 7 October acts of terror by Hamas in Israel. 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. I respectfully note the presence among us of members of their families.
Guterres then launched into a section of his speech that would lead the Israeli UN ambassador to call for his resignation.
It is important to also recognize the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum. The Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation.
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.
But the grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify the appalling attacks by Hamas. And those appalling attacks cannot justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.
Where does one even begin to analyze that?
This one won't even try, but I will observe that Gutteres's comments in the above block quote clearly suggest he has developed those thoughts within the anti-Israel vacuum of the United Nations.
Guterres went on to outline the "rules of war," as he sees them.
We must demand that all parties uphold and respect their obligations under international humanitarian law; take constant care in the conduct of military operations to spare civilians; respect and protect hospitals and respect the inviolability of UN facilities which today are sheltering more than 600,000 Palestinians.
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.
I mourn and honour the dozens of UN colleagues working for UNRWA – sadly, at least 35 and counting – killed in the bombardment of Gaza over the last two weeks. I owe to their families my condemnation of these and many other similar killings. The protection of civilians is paramount in any armed conflict.
I am deeply concerned about the clear violations of international humanitarian law that we are witnessing in Gaza.
[...]
Let me be clear: No party to an armed conflict is above international humanitarian law.
Hundreds of recently tortured, mutilated, and brutally murdered Israeli men, women, children, and babies were unavailable for comment.
Someone who was available was Israeli UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan, who called on Guterres to resign. Erdan called the speech "shocking" for stating that the Oct. 7 terror attacks on Israel by Hamas "did not happen in a vacuum."
The shocking speech by the UN Secretary-General at the Security Council meeting, while rockets are being fired at all of Israel, proved conclusively, beyond any doubt, that the Secretary-General is completely disconnected from the reality in our region and that he views the massacre committed by Nazi Hamas terrorists in a distorted and immoral manner.
His statement that, "the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum,' expressed an understanding for [sic] terrorism and murder. It’s really unfathomabale [sic]. It’s truly sad that the head of an organization that arose after the Holocaust holds such horrible views. A tragedy!
"I call on him to resign immediately," Erdan said.
There is no justification or point in talking to those who show compassion for the most terrible atrocities committed against the citizens of Israel and the Jewish people. There are simply no words.
There never are, with respect to the UN's bias against Israel — and lack of official condemnation of all who have attacked the Jewish State.
Incidentally, in 2022 alone, the UN condemned Israel 15 times — and the rest of the world, 13 times. From 2015 through 2022, the General Assembly passed 125 condemnatory resolutions against Israel and just 55 against the rest of the world combined.
And the band plays on.