TANZANIA – Israel’s United Nations ambassador known as on Secretary-Basic Antonio Guterres to retract his condemnation of the nation for its extreme use of power in its largest army operation in 20 years concentrating on a refugee camp within the West Financial institution.
U.N. deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq mentioned the secretary-general conveyed his views on Thursday “and he stands by these views.”
Guterres, angered by the influence of the Israeli airstrikes and assault on the Jenin refugee camp, mentioned the operation left over 100 civilians injured, uprooted hundreds of residents, broken colleges and hospitals, and disrupted water and electrical energy networks. He additionally criticized Israel for stopping the injured from getting medical care and humanitarian employees from reaching everybody in want.
Israel’s two-day offensive meant to crack down on Palestinian militants destroyed the Jenin camp’s slim roads and alleyways, compelled hundreds of individuals to flee their houses and killed 12 Palestinians. One Israeli soldier additionally was killed.
“I strongly condemn all acts of violence towards civilians, together with acts of terror,” Guterres advised reporters.
Requested whether or not this condemnation utilized to Israel, he replied: “It applies to all use of extreme power, and clearly on this scenario, there was an extreme power utilized by Israeli forces.”
Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan known as the U.N. chief’s remarks “shameful, far-fetched, and fully indifferent from actuality.” He mentioned the Israeli army motion in Jenin “targeted solely on combating the murderous Palestinian terror concentrating on harmless Israeli civilians.”
Haq, the U.N. spokesperson, mentioned Guterres “clearly condemns the entire violence that has been affecting the civilians in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, no matter who’s the perpetrator.”
The U.N. Safety Council mentioned Israel’s army operation in Jenin behind closed doorways Friday on the request of the United Arab Emirates and obtained a briefing from Assistant Secretary-Basic Khaled Khiari.
Erdan despatched a letter to the 15 council members and Guterres earlier than the council assembly saying that over the previous yr, 52 Israelis had been killed by Palestinians, and plenty of assaults had been carried out from Jenin or from the realm.
“The worldwide group and the Safety Council should unconditionally condemn the most recent Palestinian terror assaults and maintain Palestinian management accountable,” he mentioned.
The Safety Council took no motion.
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