UN refuses to retract its condemnation of Israel over Jenin military operation

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres criticised Israel for its excessive use of force in the operation targeting a refugee camp that left more than 100 civilians injured

UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said the secretary general conveyed his views on Thursday ‘and he stands by those views’

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Palestinians sit outside their damaged house at Jenin refugee camp after an Israeli army raid in the West Bank city of Jenin on Friday. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 1:02am, 9 Jul 2023

Israel’s United Nations ambassador called on secretary general Antonio Guterres to retract his condemnation of the country for its excessive use of force in its largest military operation in two decades targeting a refugee camp in the West Bank.

UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said the secretary general conveyed his views on Thursday “and he stands by those views.”

Guterres, angered by the impact of the Israeli air strikes and attack on the Jenin refugee camp, said the operation left over 100 civilians injured, uprooted thousands of residents, damaged schools and hospitals, and disrupted water and electricity networks. He also criticised Israel for preventing the injured from getting medical care and humanitarian workers from reaching everyone in need.

UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres. Photo: Zuma Press Wire / dpa

Israel’s two-day offensive meant to crack down on Palestinian militants destroyed the Jenin camp’s narrow roads and alleyways, forced thousands of people to flee their homes and killed 12 Palestinians. One Israeli soldier also was killed.

“I strongly condemn all acts of violence against civilians, including acts of terror,” Guterres told reporters.

Asked whether this condemnation applied to Israel, he replied: “It applies to all use of excessive force, and obviously in this situation, there was an excessive force used by Israeli forces.”

Israel’s UN ambassador Gilad Erdan called the UN chief’s remarks “shameful, far-fetched, and completely detached from reality.” He said the Israeli military action in Jenin “focused solely on combating the murderous Palestinian terror targeting innocent Israeli civilians.”