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Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has expressed his disappointment to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for not condemning the recent rocket attacks against Israel from the Gaza Strip. The two also discussed the recent clashes in Jerusalem’s Old City and the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
In a meeting with Guterres on Saturday, Prime Minister Bennett expressed his disappointment that the international body is still yet to condemn the rockets shot into Israel from the Gaza Strip. Bennett stated: “The international community must not serve the agenda of terrorist organisations”, further calling Israel a “stabilising force”. Gaza-based terrorists fired six rockets into Israel over the last week, with Israel initially responding with a series of airstrikes on Hamas military infrastructure but latterly adopting non-military measures including the temporary closure of the Erez Crossing with Gaza in an apparent attempt to de-escalate rising tensions.
The United Nations had already voiced its concern at the violent clashes on Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif, which occurred during an overlap of Passover and Ramadan last week. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is said to be investigating the incidents.
Bennett went on to tell Guterres that the clashes on Temple Mount were driven by “people who had prepared rocks and Molotov cocktails beforehand” and that if Israeli police had “not established order [at Temple Mount], tens of thousands of Muslims would not have been able to pray”.
A spokesman for Guterres’ office said that he and Bennett discussed tensions around Jerusalem’s holy sites and what efforts can be made to “end provocations” and “restore calm”. Guterres reiterated that the status quo at the Holy Sites must be upheld and respected – something which Israel has repeatedly restated.
The two are said to have also discussed the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and Guterres’ expected trip to Ukraine next week. This comes after Israel made the decision to send military equipment to Ukraine following a period of neutrality.
