Outgoing Israeli envoy calls for UN building in Jerusalem to be 'erased from earth'
Israel's outgoing ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, said that the organisation's building in Jerusalem should be "erased from the face of the earth".
Erdan made the remarks in an interview with i24News, a preview of which was published on Tuesday evening.
"The UN building in Jerusalem needs to be closed and erased from the face of the earth. This building may look beautiful on the outside, but it is crooked and distorted from within."
Erdan announced in May that he would be ending his four-year tenure as ambassador to the UN. Throughout his time in the role, he has been consistently critical of the UN, particularly of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa).
Last month, he was quoted as saying: "We must take unprecedented steps against the UN, such as closing the UN compound in Jerusalem and expelling the heads of the agencies stationed in Israel to send a clear and unequivocal message that the continued bias and exploitation of the UN against Israel will come at a price."
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Regarding the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) last month on Israeli actions in the occupied West Bank, Erdan criticised the ruling, saying: "The distorted and immoral decision of the court is part of a long series of UN decisions, institutions and organisations against Israel."
The ICJ determined that Israel's decades-long occupation of the Palestinian territories is "unlawful" and that its "near-complete separation" of people in the occupied West Bank violates international laws concerning "racial segregation" and "apartheid".
The World Court further stated that Israel's policies and practices in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem amount to the annexation of large parts of these territories and that Israel systematically discriminates against Palestinians in these occupied regions.
ICJ President Nawaf Salam said that Israel must make reparations to Palestinians for damages caused by its occupation, emphasising that the UN Security Council (UNSC), the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and all states have an obligation not to recognise Israel's occupation as legal.
The advisory opinion has no binding force but carries significant legal and moral authority.
Erdan responded: "The opinion is not legally binding, and we will work to nullify it and ensure that it has no practical consequences on the ground. I have no doubt that the United States will veto any anti-Israel decision that may be brought to the Security Council following the court's decision."
In the same interview, Erdan also expressed his ambitions to lead Israel's ruling Likud party in the future.
"I know I have a mission. I see myself leading Likud in the future after the Netanyahu era."
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