The United Nations “is in dialogue” with the Israeli Government about the visas blocked or denied to its employees, including that of the organization’s humanitarian chief, Martin Griffiths, the spokesman for the UN secretary general said on Wednesday.
Stéphane Dujarric downplayed this Wednesday the announcement by Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, that his country will deny visas to United Nations representatives, arguing that “it is time to teach them a lesson.”
Dujarric said the announcement does not affect the work of UN staff in Israel for now.
“I spoke with my colleagues in Jerusalem and they continue their contacts at all levels with their counterparts, whether they are in the Government or the Army, and the contacts continue as normal,” he said.
António Guterres’ representative insisted that there has been “no change or diminution in the status” of his workers on the ground, in Israel and Palestine.
Regarding Griffiths’ status, Dujarric stated that he is currently in Geneva (his habitual residence) and expressed the Secretary General’s wish that “like any other office that works for the secretariat”, “all Member States facilitate the work of the UN officials on official business.” travel.”
Regarding the requests for Guterres’ resignation made this Tuesday by the Israeli ambassador to the UN and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Eli Cohen, Dujarric refused to make any comment: the secretary general “will not comment on all requests for the resignation of a member State,” he stated.
On Tuesday, at the opening of a meeting of the UN Security Council, António Guterres considered that “it is also important to recognize that the Hamas attacks did not come from nowhere,” adding that “the Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation”.
António Guterres maintained that “the grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify the terrible attacks by Hamas,” just as “these terrible attacks cannot justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.”
At the beginning of his speech, the UN Secretary-General said that he “unequivocally condemns the horrific and unprecedented acts of terror by Hamas in Israel” and stated that “nothing can justify the deliberate killing, wounding and abduction of civilians – or launching rockets against civilian targets.
At the same meeting, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen accused António Guterres of being out of touch with reality and showing sympathy for the Hamas attack on October 7 with a “shocking speech.”
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Today, Gilled Erdan announced Israel’s decision not to grant visas to UN representatives, in an interview with Israeli Army Radio.
Hamas – considered a terrorist group by the European Union (EU) and the United States, among others – launched a surprise and unprecedented attack against Israel on October 7, which resulted in the death of more than 1,400 people, most of them civilians. . and the capture of 220 hostages, which triggered a conflict that is now celebrating its 19th day.
In retaliation, Israel declared war on Hamas and began a bombing campaign in the Gaza Strip, territory controlled by the Islamist group since 2007, which is still ongoing. He also imposed a total siege on the territory, cutting off the supply of water, fuel and electricity.
Israeli bombings in Gaza have killed more than 6,500 people, almost half of them children, and injured more than 17,000, according to the local Health Ministry.
Source: TSF
