Global Courant
JERUSALEM – In a statement after the United Nations condemned Israel’s operation to attack Palestinian terrorism infrastructure in the West Bank city of Jenin, the Jewish state’s ambassador to the UN on Thursday issued a sharp rebuke to the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, while receiving a pro-Israel Executive Order (EO) from New Hampshire Republican Governor Chris Sununu.
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan said: “The Secretary-General’s comments were embarrassing, far-fetched and completely detached from reality. The recent IDF activities in Jenin have focused solely on combating the murderous Palestinian terror that has killed innocent targeting Israeli civilians. Moreover, it is difficult to fathom how the UN Secretary-General repeatedly “forgets” to mention that the murderous terrorists are Palestinian terrorists.”
In a one-two punch against the world body’s perceived anti-Israel, Erdan and Sununu celebrated the Republican governor’s pro-Israel EO.
ISRAEL FORCES REVEAL WEAPONS CACHES HIDDEN UNDER PALESTINIAN MOSQUE AFTER RAID
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, left, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a recent cabinet meeting in response to a rocket attack on Israel from Gaza. (the cabinet of the Prime Minister of Israel)
Sununu tweeted: “Today I have joined the Israeli Ambassador to the @UN @giladerdan1 and the Consul General of Israel in New England @AmbMeronReuben to sign an executive order banning the executive in NH from doing business with any company that supports discriminatory BDS laws.”
BDS is an abbreviation for the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions campaign targeting the Jewish state. The parliaments of Germany and Austria have called BDS an anti-Semitic movement. New Hampshire became the 37th U.S. state to pass legislation prohibiting state business with companies involved in BDS.
Former South Carolina Republican state representative Alan D. Clemmons, along with fellow GOP state senator Larry Grooms and Democratic representative Beth Bernstein, pioneered anti-BDS legislation as of 2015. Clemmons is currently a judge on the South Carolina Circuit Court.
New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu signs an executive order banning the state from doing business with companies that support the BDS movement.
New Hampshire’s anti-BDS EO follows a Fox News Digital report on the boycott of Israeli activities by the supposedly anti-Israel United Nations Commission of Inquiry (COI). Erdan previously told Fox News that COI is “an anti-Semitic committee.”
The COI condemned US states for passing legislation banning BDS activities against Israel. The interference of the UN-sponsored COI in US state affairs sparked outrage when the report was released. Clemmons told Fox News Digital that “a bipartisan letter is being issued today by lawmakers from 42 states in response to the UN Commission of Inquiry’s attack on the US state’s anti-BDS law.”
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks at a UN Security Council high-level meeting on COVID-19 recovery, focusing on vaccines, chaired by British Foreign Secretary Dominc Raab, Wednesday, February 17, 2021, at the UN headquarters in New York. (UNTV over AP)
The UN has often held Israel at a higher level, unlike other member states, when it launches operations to disband the terrorist structure, Middle East experts say.
On Sunday night, thousands of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) entered the West Bank city of Jenin, known as the biblical heartland of Judea and Samaria in Israel, to disband entrenched Palestinian terrorist “hot spots,” the IDF said. The IDF withdrew from Jenin after a two-day counter-terror operation.
Palestinian militants march during the funeral of Palestinians killed the previous day in clashes during the Israeli military operation in Jenin in the occupied West Bank on July 5, 2023. The Israeli army launched the raid on the Jenin refugee camp in early July, killing 12 Palestinians and an Israeli soldier were killed. (Photo by JAAFAR ASHTIYEH/AFP via Getty Images)
Speaking to reporters Thursday, Guterres said: “I was deeply disturbed by the news from Jenin in the occupied West Bank.” He commented: “I strongly condemn all acts of violence against civilians, including acts of terrorism.”
Guterres continued, “Israel’s airstrikes and ground operations in a crowded refugee camp were the worst violence in the West Bank in many years, with a significant impact on civilians, including more than 100 wounded and thousands forced to flee.”
The top UN official added that “Schools and hospitals were damaged. Water and electricity networks were disrupted. And people in need were denied access to essential care and assistance.” He continued: “Excessive force was used by Israeli forces.”
A federal appeals court gave a victory to anti-BDS advocates by overturning a previous court decision alleging that a law in Arkansas was unconstitutional. (AP photo/Craig Ruttle)
HEZBOLLAH EXTERNALS ALONG THE LEBANO-ISRAEL BORDER PROVIDE A UN RESPONSE
The UN Secretary-General’s alleged refusal to acknowledge the existence of Palestinian terrorism led Erdan to hold him accountable. Secretary General, innocent civilians have fled their homes only because Palestinian terrorists have seized them for cover. Hospitals and schools have only been damaged because Palestinian terrorists have turned them into weapons depots and command centers for their terror activities. Why ignore the facts on the ground? Aren’t the lives of Israeli citizens important enough to warrant counter-terrorism?” Erdan asked in a statement.
He added: “Time and time again, the UN Secretary-General ignores brutal Palestinian terror and fails to condemn the cold-blooded murder of innocent civilians. But when the Secretary-General discusses IDF defensive actions aimed solely at dismantling the terror infrastructure, he is quick to make sweeping condemnations of Israel completely detached from the truth. The Secretary General also failed to mention that all of the victims in Jenin were Palestinian terrorists.”
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, addresses the United Nations about its Commission of Inquiry into Israel. (Israeli Mission to the UN)
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Erdan continued: “Unfortunately, the Secretary General’s comments reflect a distorted and inaccurate picture of the situation on the ground and it is clear that his words were based solely on Palestinian lies. It was also clear that no effort had been made to correct these untruths. nor was any attempt made to contact official Israeli sources for confirmation.”
Israel’s UN ambassador urged the Secretary-General to retract his words and condemn Palestinian terrorism and incitement rather than denounce the democratic state of Israel for defending itself in the face of brutal terror. The Secretary-General’s remarks will not affect Israel’s condemnation. and determination to relentlessly defend our citizens and pursue every terrorist wherever they hide.”
At the time of the raid, the Palestinian News & Information Agency-WAFA reported that Palestinian Authority President in the West Bank, Mahmoud Abbas, said: “I have instructed the government and its agencies to provide whatever is necessary to strengthen the fortitude of our people in Jenin and the rest of the land of the State of Palestine.” Abbas also urged the international community to impose sanctions on Israel and condemn the military operation. The UN Security Council will meet on Friday to discuss the Israeli counter-terror strike.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Palestinian mission at the world body and the UN Secretary-General’s spokesperson for comment on Erdan’s claims.
Benjamin Weinthal reports on Israel, Iran, Syria, Turkey and Europe for Fox News Digital. Benjamin has contributed articles to The Wall Street Journal, The Jerusalem Post, Foreign Policy, Haaretz, Forbes, and The New York Post. You can follow Benjamin on Twitter @BenWeinthal.
