Palestinians and Israelis clash at the UN over Netanyahu’s actions

• Raven Ruma
• . March 23, 2023
• . Update: March 24, 2023 9:27 pm
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The Palestinians and Israelis clashed over the future intentions of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government at a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting on Wednesday.

During the monthly UN Security Council meeting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Riyad Mansour, the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations, pointed to an Israeli minister’s statement “denying our existence to justify what is to come.” However, Gilad Menashe Erdan, the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations, said that the Israeli minister had apologized for his recent statement on Palestinians. Subsequently, Israel’s UN ambassador accused the Palestinians of regularly inciting terrorism.

The Palestinian UN ambassador told the UNSC that the statement by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, claiming there’s “no such thing” as a Palestinian people, was wrong. He said that the statement was made as Israel’s unlawful annexation of the territory of the Palestinians.

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He claimed that some Israeli authorities deny Palestinian rights, humanity and connection to the land. The Palestinian envoy further urged the UN Security Council and the international community to increase efforts in order to stop annexation and violence against the Palestinians.

Israel’s UN Ambassador accused the Palestinians of repeating lies and glorifying terrorism. He said, “To the Palestinian representative, I say: ‘Shame on you. Shame on you.’ Palestinian leadership regularly  incite terrorism and never condemns the murders of Israeli civilians.” He further accused the Palestinian Authority of trying to erase Jewish history.

A UN envoy urged Israel and Palestine to lower tensions during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which coincides with the Jewish holiday of Passover and Easter in Christianity. United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland reportedly said, ”I call on all leaders to engage to this end and refrain from provocative actions and messages at this sensitive time.”