"Gaza is a stain of shame on the conscience of humanity." Criticism rained down on Israel from the UN podium
In the first-day speeches delivered by dozens of leaders, Gaza and the occupied West Bank were among the most frequently mentioned topics.
"Gaza is a stain of shame on the conscience of humanity." Criticism rained down on Israel from the UN podium
On September 22, the high-level general debate within the framework of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly began in New York, USA. This is the main annual event where world leaders outline their countries' priorities from the UN podium.
During the first day of speeches, as dozens of leaders took the floor, Gaza and the occupied West Bank were among the most frequently mentioned topics. The leaders of Jordan, Turkey, Brazil, and Qatar criticized Israel's actions in these territories. The French leader described the situation in Gaza as "a shameful situation for everyone." The UN Secretary-General and other officials also condemned Israel's actions. Trump, meanwhile, mentioned Israel only once in his approximately 38-minute speech.
Speaking at the General Assembly for the last time as UN Secretary-General, António Guterres said that the conflicts in the Middle East are escalating in a chain reaction. According to him, civilians continue to pay the price for the so-called "ceasefire" agreements. He called on leaders to stop the fighting and allow humanitarian aid through.
The UN official called the 2023 Hamas attack "abhorrent terror" and stated that a large-scale offensive against Palestinians in Gaza began after that.
"The [situation] in Gaza is a level of slaughter and destruction unlike anything I have seen in my years as Secretary-General. ...Meanwhile, Israeli violence, displacement, and settlement expansion in the West Bank are 'bulldozing the path to peace and raising the risk of ethnic cleansing,'" Guterres said.
Guterres also recalled the International Court of Justice's binding provisional measures in the Genocide Convention case and called on all parties to comply with the court's decisions. These decisions ordered Israel to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza, punish public incitement to genocide, allow unhindered humanitarian aid, and preserve evidence.
US President Donald Trump claimed to have ended the war in Gaza and spoke about Israel only once — when recalling the third anniversary of the October 7 attack.