'Showing the true face of the country,' Israel's UN ambassador leads delegation to Israel despite Gaza military operation
Amb. Erdan says it's important for envoys to experience daily threats that Israel faces
Israel’s top envoy to the United Nations led a delegation of UN ambassadors to Israel on Tuesday amid the war with the Gaza-based terrorist organization Islamic Jihad.
Gilad Erdan, Israeli Ambassador to the UN brought ambassadors to Israel from the Philippines, South Sudan, Chad, Antigua and Barbuda, Fiji, the Laos People’s Democratic Republic, the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu.
The top diplomats will reportedly tour Israel's military bases and visit the Iron Dome Missile Defense Battery.
The delegation is also scheduled to visit Yad Vashem World Holocaust Memorial, the Western Wall and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
“The delegation of ambassadors is a major effort that I lead at the United Nations. Bringing UN ambassadors to Israel is an effective way to show the true face of the country,” stated Erdan.
The Israeli UN ambassador stressed how important it is for ambassadors to experience the threats that Israel faces on a regular basis.
“The visit of the UN ambassadors to Israel at this particular time is especially important – they will be exposed to the threats that Israel is facing and the harsh reality that Israeli civilians experience when rockets are fired. I am sure the Ambassadors will take the memories of this delegation with them as they go about their diplomatic work at the UN and in their home countries.”
While many individual countries express support for the Jewish state and its right to defend its citizens, the United Nations has often been criticized for disproportionately calling out Israel for its actions.
UN Sec.-Gen. Antonio Guterres blasted Israel for the civilian deaths in Gaza, which he termed “unacceptable.”
While Israel goes to extreme lengths to minimize the number of civilian casualties, combatants in Gaza use human shields while also intentionally targeting Israeli civilians, considered a double war crime under international law.
Deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq criticized the Israeli military operation in Gaza.
"Israel must abide by its obligations under international humanitarian law, including the proportional use of force and taking all feasible precautions to spare civilians and civilian objects in the conduct of military operations," Haq said.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
