UN chief Guterres says his Israel remarks were 'misinterpreted'

Antonio Guterres seeks to clarify comments that outraged Israel

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UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday rejected accusations that he had justified Hamas attacks on Israel in his statement to the Security Council a day earlier.

Addressing a council session on Tuesday, the UN chief, without naming Israel, denounced “the clear violations of international humanitarian law that we are witnessing in Gaza”.

The remarks outraged Israel and Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen cancelled a meeting with Mr Guterres. He also angrily pointed his finger at him during Tuesday's session, reading graphic accounts of civilians killed in the October 7 assault by Hamas.

Mr Guterres had said it was important to “recognise the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum” as the Palestinians have been “subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation”.

Speaking to reporters at the UN, Mr Guterres said on Wednesday that he was “shocked by the misinterpretations by some of my statement yesterday in the Security Council – as if I was justifying acts of terror by Hamas”.

“This is false. It was the opposite,” he said.

“I believe it's necessary to set the record straight especially out of respect for the victims and their families.

“I spoke of the grievances of the Palestinian people. And in doing so, I also clearly stated, and I quote: 'But the grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify the appalling attacks by Hamas.'”

Israel's outspoken ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, called on Mr Guterres to resign – writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the UN chief has “expressed an understanding for terrorism and murder”.

Richard Gowan, UN Director at the international crisis group, told The National that the world body is the ultimate soft target for criticism during crises in the Middle East.

“I think that the Israelis were genuinely angered by what Guterres said, but I suspect that they are also taking out some of their broader frustrations about international criticisms of their actions on the Secretary General,” explained Mr Gowan.

Bruce Jones, Director of the foreign policy programme at the Brookings Institution, told The National: “It’s no surprise that Israel is furious at the Secretary General’s speech. But it’s a mistake to choose to punish the UN by impeding humanitarian access.

“Israel and the UN have a strange relationship; at various points, every Israeli border has been protected by a UN force, and day to day, there is constant communication between the [Israeli military] and UN authorities in the West Bank and Gaza.”

But he noted that at the political level, there is constant tension.

“At the core, Israel’s concern is with the majority opinion in the General Assembly, which tends to run against Israel.”

Israel’s decision to deny visas to UN representatives came as the agency focused on Palestinians, UNRWA, warned operations in Gaza were at breaking point.

“If we do not get fuel urgently, we will be forced to halt our operations in the Gaza Strip,” said UNRWA, which has been providing aid to the more than 600,000 displaced people in Gaza who are sheltering in 150 UN facilities.

Since Saturday, three humanitarian convoys with a total of 54 lorries carrying aid have reached Gaza.

The convoys included food, water and medicines but not fuel, according to the UN.

Israel has refused to allow fuel shipments into Gaza, fearing Hamas will use it for weapons and explosives and accusing the militant group of stockpiling supplies in large tanks.

Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, said a "weakened UN is bad for all aid groups assisting a million children under bombardment and in cross-fire".

The US has made bringing aid into Gaza a priority over the past couple of weeks, explained Mr Gowan.

“Washington understands that if international assistance to Gaza falls apart, the risks of regional escalation increase,” he said.