A UN official has been accused of being “pathetic” and a “Hamas collaborator” after insisting that Hamas is not a terrorist organization.
Martin Griffiths, director of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, was asked on Wednesday about the feasibility of Israel’s goal of eliminating Hamas and preventing the terrorist organization from continuing to rule the Gaza Strip.
“I’ve worked with so many different terrorist and insurgent groups,” he says. told UK Sky News In response to the.
“As you know, Hamas is not a terrorist group to us. It is a political movement.”
Israeli authorities condemned Griffiths’ response after a clip of his interview went viral on social media.
“No wonder he is abusing his power to save Hamas’s skin after the worst terrorist attack since 9/11, instead of demanding Hamas’ surrender,” government spokesman Eilon Levy said. Stated. Excited by X.
Israel’s X state account also mocked Griffith’s comments, saying Hamas is a “political organization that sometimes kills, rapes and kidnaps civilians to relieve stress.”
“What an abomination the United Nations has become.” I wrote.
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan accused Griffiths of being a “Hamas collaborator.”
“Isn’t the barbaric murder of hundreds of civilians terrorism? Isn’t the systematic rape of women terrorism? Isn’t attempted genocide terrorism?” he wrote about x in hebrewreferring to the events of October 7, when Hamas terrorists killed around 1,200 people and took 250 civilians hostage.
“This is the face of the United Nations these days: an organization that whitewashes terrorism, promotes Hamas, and blames victims. The United Nations has lost all credibility,” Erdan continued.
“Mr. Under-Secretary-General, you cannot say that you are acting in the name of “humanitarian affairs.” You are a Hamas collaborator! ”
Griffiths further increased his position in response to the backlash.
“Let me be clear: Hamas is not on the list of groups designated as terrorist organizations by the United Nations Security Council,” he said. Posted in X.
“As I have said all along, that does not make their act of terrorism on October 7 any less horrifying and reprehensible.”
His comments angered Israel and Germany.
“Let me be clear: you are an apologist for Hamas, and your comments are an insult to all the victims of October 7th.” The official account of Israel X has been posted.
“Pathetic.”
German Ministry of Foreign Affairs He answered again: “Let me be clear, [European Union] It lists Hamas as a terrorist organization, as do many other organizations. ”
However, when asked about Mr Griffiths’ comments on Thursday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres appeared to agree with the humanitarian chief, saying: “The designation of an organization as a terrorist organization by the UN can only be done by the Security Council.” I can do it.” According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
Mr. Guterres has long sought to strike a balance between condemning Hamas’ terrorism and Israel’s military action in Gaza.
For example, on October 25, he angered the Israeli public by saying that Hamas attacks “did not occur in isolation” and condemning Israel’s occupation of the Gaza Strip.
However, he also met with the families of the Israeli hostages and reiterated his assertion of the October 7 terrorist attack.
