On the 6th, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who had always taken a paternalistic attitude towards Palestine after the outbreak of the war between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas, invoked ‘Article 99 of the UN Charter’ for the first time in 52 years since 1971, and the Security Council (Security Council) ) called for a ceasefire. Israel objected, saying that even though the war broke out due to Hamas’ preemptive attack, Guterres continued to support Hamas and that his actions were “dangerous to world peace.”
In a letter sent to the Chairman of the Security Council that day, General Guterres said, “The humanitarian aid system and public order in the Gaza Strip (ruled by Hamas) face a serious risk of collapse. He called for a ceasefire, saying, “A much worse situation could develop than the current one due to epidemics, mass migration, etc.”
Article 99 of the United Nations Charter clearly states that the Secretary-General has the authority to bring to the attention of the Security Council any issues that threaten international peace. This is the first time that a current president has invoked this provision since the conflict between India and Pakistan in 1971. Bloomberg analyzed it as “the most powerful action the president can mobilize.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen responded, “This decision supports Hamas’s killings, rapes, and kidnappings.” Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan also said, “President Guterres has fallen into moral corruption. “He also has a distorted view of Israel,” he criticized.
Immediately after the outbreak of war in October of this year, President Guterres said, “Hamas’s (preemptive) attack did not occur in a ‘vacuum’ without any reason,” implying that Israel’s oppression of Palestinians was in some way what caused the war. On the 6th of last month, “The Gaza Strip is becoming a graveyard for children. “No one is safe due to the Israeli military’s bombing.” There is also criticism that his actions are unbecoming of the head of an international organization that must maintain neutrality. Israel also repeatedly called for his resignation.
Guterres, who served as prime minister for 10 years as a member of the center-left Portuguese Socialist Party, took office as head of the United Nations in 2017. Before taking office as president, he served as High Commissioner for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and is also considered a ‘refugee expert.’ There is also an analysis that his tendency to value the socially underprivileged, such as refugees, women, and children, resulted in unfriendly actions toward Israel, which suffered a preemptive attack.
The Israeli military is intensifying its offensive to annihilate the Hamas leadership in Khan Yunis, a key city in the southern Gaza Strip. In particular, the Khan Yunis home of Hamas leader Yehya Sinwar, who led the Israeli preemptive attack, was also surrounded. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed confidence that “it is only a matter of time before Sinwar is captured.” It is reported that Sinwar is currently staying in the Khan Yunis underground tunnel.
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Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.