Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen expressed strong criticism on Tuesday, stating that United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is unfit to lead the global body.
Cohen, speaking at a press conference inside the U.N. building in Geneva, accused Guterres of not adequately condemning the militant group Hamas and being too close to Iran.
Cohen’s remarks come as a heightened expression of Israel’s discontent with the United Nations, particularly in a week when the organization mourned the killing of over 100 of its staff in Gaza.
“Guterres does not deserve to be the head of the United Nations,” Cohen asserted during the Geneva press conference, where he is engaging with leaders from the World Health Organization and the International Red Cross, alongside relatives of Israeli hostages.
Cohen called for Guterres and all free nations to unequivocally declare, “Free Gaza from Hamas.” He questioned why Guterres, in Cohen’s view, has not explicitly stated that Hamas is worse than ISIS, emphasizing a desire for a clear and direct stance on the matter.
The criticism signals a deepening rift between Israel and the UN leadership on issues related to the Middle East and regional conflicts.
