Representatives of Israel and Arab countries exchanged strong accusations on Thursday, October 26, at the forum of the UN General Assembly, which in turn is investigating the war between Israel and Hamas following the inaction of the Security Council.
Published on: 10/27/2023 – 00:24
3 mins
“Israel is turning Gaza into an eternal hell on earth. The trauma will haunt entire generations,” said Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on behalf of the 22 countries of the Arab group. “The right to self-defense is not a license to kill with impunity, collective punishment is not self-defense, it is a war crime,” he said.
According to the Hamas Ministry of Health, more than 7,000 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip under Israeli fire since the bloody Hamas attack on October 7 in southern Israel, and more than 1,400 in Israel, especially on the day of the Hamas attack on the Israeli authorities.
“To stop this madness, you have the chance to do something, to send an important signal. Choose justice, not revenge,” Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour told the 193 UN member states. “Do not miss that chance. Lives depend on it and all life is sacred. Please save lives, save lives, save lives. Vote for our draft resolution,” he pleaded in a strained voice.
Also read: Israel-Hamas: Two resolutions rejected in UN Security Council, Arab countries refer the matter to the General Assembly
While the Security Council has exposed its divisions by rejecting four resolutions on the war between Israel and Hamas in less than two weeks, Arab countries are hoping that the General Assembly, where the balance of power is different and no country has veto power, can Take a stand, even if its decisions are not binding.
Jordan has circulated a draft resolution that is still under discussion and will be voted on on Friday. The text, seen by AFP, focuses largely on the humanitarian situation, calling for an “immediate ceasefire” and “unhindered” humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip. He also calls on “all parties” to “protect civilians” but does not mention the Hamas attacks.
“The authors of the resolution say they are concerned about peace, but the depraved murderers who started this war are not even mentioned,” criticized Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan. “This resolution is an insult to your intelligence and belongs in the dustbin of history,” he said.
Iran’s foreign minister also tried to persuade the international community to support a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. But from the podium, Hossein Amur Abdollahian actually responded primarily to Antony Blinken, who had sent a Security Council warning message to Tehran three days earlier. The head of American diplomacy had warned that Washington was ready to repel any attack on its personnel in the Middle East.
“The United States should stop supporting the genocide in Gaza and Palestine. I say frankly to the American statesmen who are currently leading the genocide in Palestine that we do not want the war to expand in the region. But if the genocide in Gaza continues, they will not be spared from this conflagration. This is our homeland and Western Asia is our region. We do not compromise with any country. And we have no concerns about our safety. The genocide in Gaza must end immediately. The forced displacement of Gaza’s population must end immediately. »
(With AFP)