UNITED NATIONS: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres accused Israel on Monday of spreading misinformation about him during the more than eight-month-long war between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
“I’ve heard the same source many times saying that I never attacked Hamas, that I never condemned Hamas, that I am a supporters of Hamas,” Guterres told a news conference on information integrity, without naming Israel.
“I have condemned Hamas 102 times, 51 of them in formal speeches, the others in different social platforms,” he said. “The truth, in the end, always wins.”
Israel’s UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan said the condemnations by Guterres were “empty words when compared to his actions.”
“His sole aim has been to help Hamas survive this war. We find it despicable that the secretary-general refuses to abide by the UN’s standards and paints a distorted picture of events on the ground,” Erdan said. “Antonio Guterres is an accomplice to terror and should resign today.”
Relations between the UN and Israel have long been fraught and have only worsened during the Israel-Hamas war.
Israel accused the UN of being biased against it and has accused UN staff of working with Hamas and other militants. The UN is investigating some of the allegations, but has said in many cases it is yet to received evidence from Israel.
Without naming names, UN chief accuses Israel of misinformation
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Without naming names, UN chief accuses Israel of misinformation
- “The truth, in the end, always wins," Guterres says
Ousted Madagascar president must face justice, says new leader
- France’s role in secretly helping Rajoelina to escape had outraged people who wanted him to stand trial, although it had also “stabilized” the situation, said the army colonel, who was sworn in as president on Oct. 17
ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar: Madagascar’s new ruler told France 24 on Friday that he wanted former President Andry Rajoelina to stand trial for “crimes” including the shooting of demonstrators in unrest that led him to flee in October.
Col. Michael Randrianirina also said in an interview with the French broadcaster that he remained committed to a plan to call new elections in the Indian Ocean island within two years.
Youth-led demonstrations that started in September against persistent water and power shortages snowballed into a protest movement that the government tried to stop with a crackdown, which left many people dead and injured.
After Randrianirina’s CAPSAT army unit announced its support for the protesters on Oct. 14, Rajoelina fled with the help of French forces, and his whereabouts are still not known.
France’s role in secretly helping Rajoelina to escape had outraged people who wanted him to stand trial, although it had also “stabilized” the situation, said the army colonel, who was sworn in as president on Oct. 17.
“There were injuries, there were human losses. Our wish is to try him in Madagascar,” he told France24.
“Everything that happened in Madagascar stems from the president’s initiatives, the president’s orders, even the bullet wounds. These are crimes that could be subject to trial,” he said, accusing the former leader of impoverishing the nation.
Rajoelina’s wealthy businessman ally Maminiaina “Mamy” Ravatomanga, who fled to neighboring Mauritius as the tensions mounted, should also face justice, the colonel said.
“Our resources have been plundered,” he said.
Randrianirina said his administration’s plan for Madagascar included a national consultation starting next week, followed by a constitutional referendum and elections within two years.
Asked if he would stand for election, he said: “Right now, I am working, and I am not thinking about being a candidate at this time.”
The colonel also denied that he had seized control in a coup, saying the Constitutional Court had “transferred power” to him.
After speaking with French President Emmanuel Macron last month, he had agreed to accept support from France, the colonel said.
Asked about the National Assembly president’s recent trip to Moscow, he said, “We are open to all types of collaboration.”
