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Context:
Israel announced a ban on the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres from entering the country.
Reasons for the Ban
- Israel's Foreign Minister stated that Guterres did not condemn Iran’s missile attacks on Israel and had not unequivocally denounced Hamas's attack from October 7 last year, which resulted in significant Israeli casualties. Although Guterres had condemned the violence, Israel felt his statements were not strong enough.
- Israel has accused the UN of taking the side of Palestinian interests and criticized its agencies for alleged connections to Hamas.
Israel-UN Relations
Background
Israel became a member of the UN in 1949, shortly after it was established in 1948. The UN was formed after World War II to promote peace and cooperation among countries. Israel joined as part of this global effort.
Over the years, the UN has passed many resolutions related to Israel, mainly regarding its conflicts with Arab nations and the Palestinian territories.
- Resolution 181 (1947) proposed the partition of Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states. The Jewish community accepted this plan, but the Arab nations rejected it, leading to conflict.
- Resolution 242 (1967) called for Israel to withdraw from territories occupied in the Six-Day War in exchange for peace with its neighbors. This resolution is still in discussion.
Criticism and Support
Israel frequently faces criticism in the UN for its military actions and policies in the Palestinian territories. Many countries, especially in the Arab world and among developing nations, have condemned Israel's actions. The UN General Assembly has passed many resolutions criticizing Israel, mainly related to human rights violations and settlement activities in the West Bank.
Israel also received strong support from certain countries, especially the United States. The U.S. often vetoes UN Security Council resolutions that are critical of Israel, arguing that they are biased against the country.
Israel and UN agencies
- UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) provides support for Palestinian refugees. Israel has criticized UNRWA and has called for its reform.
- Israel has faced criticism from UNESCO for its actions in Jerusalem and for designating sites as Palestinian heritage sites.
Recent Events
- Israel has had a long controversial relationship with the UN. Israeli leaders have frequently claimed that the organization is influenced by a bloc of Arab and Islamic countries that are hostile to Israel. For example, the Prime Minister of Israel recently called the UN an “anti-Semitic swamp” in response to resolutions criticizing Israel's actions.
- The term anti-Semitism was coined in 1879 by the German agitator Wilhelm Marr to designate the anti-Jewish campaigns underway in central Europe at that time.
- In the past, Israel has banned other UN officials as well. For example, Israel banned then-UN Under-Secretary-General Martin Griffiths last year after he made remarks about the context of Hamas's attacks. Guterres highlighted the high number of Palestinian casualties, including many children in Gaza.
- According to experts, Israel's ban on the UNSG is exceptional. The only similar instance in history occurred in 1950 when the USSR threatened to veto the re-election of UNSG Trygve Lie due to bias during the Korean crisis.
Global Reaction over the Ban decision
- The Security Council stated that avoiding engagement with the UNSG is counterproductive, especially given the rising tensions in the Middle East.
- The U.S. State Department described the ban as “not productive” for Israel's global standing.
- The Ministry of External Affairs of India, while careful, also refrained from criticizing Guterres, underlining his position as UNSG.
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Source:
THE HINDU
Wikipedia
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PRACTICE QUESTION
Q.Consider the following statements:
1. The Golan Heights is a disputed territory between Israel and Syria.
2. The West Bank is situated to the east of Israel.
3. The Dead Sea is located between Israel and Jordan.
How many of the above statements are correct?
A) Only one
B) Only two
C) All three
D) None
Answer: C
Explanation:
Statement 1 is correct: The Golan Heights is a region that has been contested between Israel and Syria since Israel captured it during the Six-Day War in 1967.
Statement 2 is correct: The West Bank is located to the east of Israel, bordered by Jordan to the east.
Statement 3 is correct: The Dead Sea lies between Israel to the west and Jordan to the east.
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