Al Jazeera journalist Sana Saeed described the UN chief’s failure to call for a ceasefire as absolutely egregious. Palestinian-American journalist and author Ali Abunimah demanded the removal of Antonio Gueterres from his post.
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI — As Israel continues its bombing of civilian targets in the Gaza Strip killing nearly 2,800 Palestinians in just over a week, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, is drawing flak for failing to call on the Jewish state to stop its barbaric campaign.
In one of his latest posts on X platform (formerly Twitter), Guterres on Sunday issued two humanitarian appeals with regard to Israeli war on Gaza. But he did not ask Israel to stop the ongoing airstrike on the people of Gaza. His posts called on Hamas to release the Israeli hostages and Israel to allow humanitarian aid to enter in Gaza.
“As we are on the verge of the abyss in the Middle East, I have two humanitarian appeals: To Hamas, the hostages must be immediately released without conditions. To Israel, rapid & unimpeded access for humanitarian aid must be granted for the sake of the civilians in Gaza,” posted Guterres.
In another post, he said: “Each one of these two objectives are valid in themselves. They should not become bargaining chips and they must be implemented because it is the right thing to do”.
The failure of UN chief to appeal for a ceasefire has angered many. People in Palestine are already blaming the international community for its silence over the genocide being committed by Israel.
Responding to Guterres, Mick Wallace, member of European Parliament, said that calling for a stop to genocide is more important than humanitarian aid.
“A lot more important than Humanitarian Aid would be for the #UN to pressure the Apartheid State of #Israel to halt the Genocide in #Gaza – Where’s the outcry about the ‘collective punishment’ of #Palestinians.? Where’s the outcry about Israel Carpet bombing innocent civilians…?,” posted Wallace on X.
Francesca Albanese, former UN official, said that its delay in calling for a ceasefire is pushing the region in an abyss.
“Secretary General: The delay in calling on Israel to cease taking revenge on millions of Palestinian civilians is intensifying the descent into abyss. Now unfolding. Please: call for a ceasefire now. If not now, when? If not you, who?,” she asked.
Al Jazeera journalist Sana Saeed described the UN chief’s failure to call for a ceasefire as absolutely egregious. “No onus is put on Israel here for this. What do we think is impeding access to humanitarian aid exactly? What do we think created the crisis?,” she said.
Palestinian-American journalist and author Ali Abunimah demanded the removal of Gueterres from his post.
“Absolutely shocking that @antonioguterres refuses to call on Israel to immediately stop its revenge massacres of Palestinian civilians caged in a ghetto. Can you imagine a UN secretary general who is openly complicit in genocide? He should be removed,” posted Abunimah.
A social media user Heidi N. Moore said on X platform: “No, ‘humanitarian aid’ is not enough while the international community allows people to continue dying without access to food, water and electricity”.
