Israeli UN ambassador calls on UN Secretary General to resign
Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, is calling on U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres to resign, saying he's "completely disconnected from the reality in our region."
At the United Nations Security Council meeting, Gutteres delivered some of most forceful rhetoric on the Israel-Hamas war to date, demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire “to ease epic suffering, make the delivery of aid easier and safer and facilitate the release of hostages.”
The Secretary-General’s speech, especially his assertion that “the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum," sparked immediate backlash from Erdan.
"The shocking speech by the UN Secretary-General at the Security Council meeting, while rockets are being fired at all of Israel, proved conclusively, beyond any doubt, that the Secretary-General is completely disconnected from the reality in our region and that he views the massacre committed by Nazi Hamas terrorists in a distorted and immoral manner," Erdan said. "His statement that, 'The attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum,' expressed an understanding for terrorism and murder."
"It’s truly sad that the head of an organization that arose after the Holocaust holds such horrible views," Erdan said.
"There is no justification or point in talking to those who show compassion for the most terrible atrocities committed against the citizens of Israel and the Jewish people," Erdan said.
Guterres' spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, told ABC News, "The Secretary said what he said. Spokesman is not responding further."
A history of conflict: An ongoing war between Israel and Palestine
-ABC News' Shannon Crawford