The Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), António Guterres, expressed “shock at the misinterpretations” of the statements he made at the Security Council on Tuesday and denied having justified Hamas’s terrorist acts.
“This is not true. It was the opposite”assured the former Portuguese Prime Minister.
“At the beginning of my speech yesterday (Tuesday), I clearly stated – and I quote: ‘I unequivocally condemned the heinous and unprecedented acts of terror committed by Hamas in Israel on October 7. Nothing can prevent the murder, deliberate attack and kidnapping of civilians – or the firing of missiles at civilian targets.” he said, repeating part of the speech he had previously given to the Council.
Guterres admitted that he spoke about the grievances of the Palestinian people, but emphasized that he also stated: “But the grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify Hamas’ terrible attacks.”.
António Guterres told the UN Security Council on Tuesday that Hamas’ attacks “did not come out of nowhere” and recalled that Palestinians had been “subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation”, statements that prompted the Israeli government to call for immediate action . the resignation of the UN leader.
Although several political leaders from around the world condemned Guterres’ statements, the highest figures in the Portuguese state showed solidarity with their compatriot.
The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, wrote in a note on the presidency’s website: “who has always interpreted the successive statements of the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, since the unjustified attack by Hamas in Israel, as being consistent with the protection of the values and principles deriving from the Charter of the United Nations Nations reiterates its understanding regarding yesterday’s and today’s statements”.
The Prime Minister, António Costa, has sent a message of solidarity to the Secretary General of the United Nations, saying that, in the face of the “humanitarian tragedy”, he has been “exemplary” in the humanist affirmation of international straight. said this on Wednesday to the official executive source of the Lusa agency.
Earlier, Foreign Minister João Gomes Cravinho also expressed solidarity with António Guterres in statements to Lusa, saying that Portugal “understands and understands” the position of the Secretary General of the United Nations on the conflict between Israel and Hamas follows”.
“We fully understand and support the position of António Guterres, who was unequivocal when he condemned Hamas terrorism, which is absolutely unacceptable. He was absolutely crystal clear in the analysis he made,” said João Gomes Cravinho, who lamented the controversy between the government. of Israel and the UN Secretary General.
Sánchez supports Guterres against Israeli dismissal demands
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez this Wednesday supported UN Secretary General António Guterres and his calls regarding the conflict in the Middle East, after Israel demanded his resignation over statements about Hamas’ actions.
“I would like to convey all my affection and all the support of the Government of Spain and Spanish society to our Secretary General of the United Nations, who I believe is raising his voice for a large majority of the societies in the world that they want. a humanitarian pause” in the conflict, he pointed out.
Sánchez made these statements in Brussels, where he is taking part in the tripartite social summit ahead of the meeting of European Union (EU) leaders.
For the Spanish Prime Minister, what Guterres does is speak for a large majority of the world’s countries that want an end to the “humanitarian disaster” caused by the conflict.
In addition to his support for António Guterres, the Spanish Prime Minister reiterated his call for a humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, which would allow urgent access to aid “in a systematic, permanent and proportionate manner that meets the needs of the population’. “.
Pedro Sánchez also called again to resort to diplomatic channels to resolve a crisis that he emphasized had a clear origin, Hamas’s attacks on Israel, and which, according to him, deserved a full condemnation from Spain and the international community.
Palestinian fighters from the Islamist movement Hamas attacked southern Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7, killing more than 1,400 people, most of them civilians, and capturing 220, who were held captive in Gaza, some of them in the Gaza Strip were killed. Meanwhile – – according to Hamas, as a result of Israeli bombing – while four have been released in recent days: two North American citizens and two Israelis.
It was an offensive on land, sea and in the air, supported by the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah and the Palestinian branch of Islamic Jihad.
Strong Israeli retaliation has so far killed at least 6,546 people in the poor Palestinian enclave controlled since 2007 by Hamas, a group classified as a terrorist organization by the United States, EU and Israel, according to local authorities.
Source: DN
