Israel's strong message to UNO, calls for UNO Secretary General Antonio Guterres Resignation.

Israel demands UNO chief resign over Hamas attack remarks.

Israel Foreign Minister Eli Cohen cancels meetiong with UNO Chief after his remarks on Hamas war.

What has just happened> Why in recent news?

On Wednessday Israeli authorities expressed the strong disapproval of UNO Secretary General Antonio Guterres remarks suggesting that the lethal Hamas assault on Southern Israel wasn't an isolated incident. They interpreted his statement as an endorsement of terrorism. In response, Israel Foreign Minister Eli Cohen decided not to proceed with a planned meeting with UNO Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

Meanwhile, UNO Secretary General Antonio Guterres has refuted claims made by Israel that he had endorsed the attacks by the Palastinian Military Group, Hamas, on Israekl in his remarks to the Security Council. UNO Secretary General Antonio Guterres expressed his astonishment at the misinterpretation of his words stating "I an shocked by the misinterpretations by some of my statement as if I was justifying acts of terror by Hamas. This is false. it was the opposite."

What sparked the row?

the tension escalated primarily due to comments made by the UNO Secretary General Antonio Guterres to the UNO Security Council, UNO Secretary General Antonio Guterres expressed concerns over the situation in Gaza and made statements that Israel perceived as biased against them.

What did UNO Secretary General Antonio Guterres say that caused controversy?

Addressing a meeting of the UNO Security Council in New York on Tuesday, UNO Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged all parties in the war to respect & protect civilians. I have condemned unequivocaly the horrifying and unprecedented 7-OCT-2023 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. He then told the council that it was "important to recognise the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vaccum" adding "the Palastinian people have been subhected to 56 years of suffocating occupation." He described how Palastinians had seen their land steadily devoured by settlements and plagued by settlements and plagued by vioence their economy shifted; their people displaced and their homes demolished. But the grievences of the Palastinian people cannot justify the appalling attacks by Hamas. And those appalling attacks cannot justify the collective punishment of the Palastinian people. UNO Secretary General Antonio Guterres also said that he was deeply concerned about the clear violating of international humanitarian law that we are witnessing in Gaza". He expressed alarm at Israel's continuous bombardment of Gaza as well as his level of civilian casualties and "wholesale destruction of neighbourhoods". and without naming Israel he said "Protecting civilians doesnot means ordering more than one million people to evacuate to the south where there is no shelter, no food, no water no medicine and no fuel and then continuing to bomb the south itself." The UNO Chief also appealled for the humanitarian ceasefire to make the delivery of aid to Gaza easier and safer and to facilitate the release of the hostages. He called the crossing from Egypt of 62 lorries carrying food water and medical supplies since Saturday, "a drop of aid in an ocean of need."

The Hamas run Health Minister in Gaza says more than 6500 people have been killed in the territory since Israel retaliated with air and artillery strikes while messaging troops for an expected ground invasion.

How did Israel respond?

Israel's reaction was swift and fierce. they called for UNO Secretary General Antonio Guterres resignation and vowed to teach the UNO a lesson "As a direct action Israel refused a visa to the UNO Humanitarian affairs Chief, Martin Griffiths". Visiting Israel Foreign Minister Eli Cohen criticised UNO Secretary General Antonio Guterres in his speech to the Security Council asking him; "In what world do you live?"

Israel Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said "the killing of 1400 men, women, and children by Hamas constituted a massacre that would go down in history as more brutal" than those committed by the Islamic State Group.

Did the UNO Secretary General Antonio Guterres justify the Acts of Hamas in his statement?

No. UNO Secretary General Antonio Guterres clarified that he was "shocked by the misrepresentation by some of my statement as if I was justifying acts of terror by Hamas". This is false. It was the opposite. He emphasized the importance of understanding the border context in which these events are taking place.

How have other leaders reacted to this row?

The acting Prime Minister of Spain Pedri Sanchez, offered his shipment to UNO Secretary General Antonio Guterres emphasizing the need for a diplomatic solution to the conflict. Portugal's Foreign Minister Joao Gomes Cravinlio also defended UNO Secretary General Antonio Guterres remarks, asseeting that there was no way UNO Secretary General Antonio Guterres was excusing terrorism.

What about Turkey?

Recep Tayyip Erdogan - President of Turkey asserted that Hamas is ot a terrorist organization. He described them as "liberation group defending their hands". This statement was formerly rejected by Israel. Israel urges India to prescribe Hamas as terror organisation. Ground invasion delayed. Israel has agreed to delay the invasion of Gaza city so that the US can rush missile defences to the region, the Wall Street Journal reported. this cones amid warnings from the UN and countries including France, Egypt and Turkey over a possible spread of the conflict to other parts of west Asia.