Czech defense minister calls for withdrawal from UN over Israel resolution

Czech Defense Minister Jana Černochová has called for the Czech Republic to withdraw from the United Nations (UN) due to its resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire between the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel. She made this statement on the social network X on Saturday.

Černochová expressed her dissatisfaction with the UN vote, stating that she was ashamed of the organization and believed that the Czech Republic should not be associated with an organization that supports terrorists.

On Friday, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution, which marked the first joint UN response to the ongoing conflict in Israel. Canada had proposed that the resolution should unequivocally condemn Hamas's "terrorist attacks" and demand the immediate release of hostages. However, the proposal was unsuccessful. The text proposed by Jordan and other Arab countries received support from 120 countries, with 45 abstentions.

Israel, the U.S., and 12 other countries, including the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, and Croatia, voted against the resolution.

Černochová stated, "Exactly three weeks ago, Hamas killed more than 1,400 Israelis, a higher number per capita than those killed by the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001."

She criticized the fact that only 14 countries had stood up against this unprecedented terrorist attack. She said, "I am ashamed of the United Nations. In my opinion, the Czech Republic has no place in an organization that supports terrorists and does not respect the fundamental right to self-defense. Let's withdraw."

UN General Assembly resolutions, while not legally binding, carry significant symbolism. Israel's ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, strongly criticized the adoption of the resolution and argued that the UN had lost its legitimacy. In his view, by passing the resolution, the majority of the global community signaled its support for "Nazi terrorists" rather than Israel. Reuters reported that the Israeli diplomat also emphasized the need to combat Hamas.

A new conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement erupted on Saturday, Oct. 7, when Palestinian gunmen attacked southern Israel; so far, the conflict resulted in the deaths of more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli authorities. Additionally, over 220 people were kidnapped in the Gaza Strip, according to the Israeli army.

In response, Israel initiated airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, where Palestinian authorities claim that over 7,300 people have lost their lives. The entire area remains under Israeli blockade. Hamas has controlled the Gaza Strip and its authorities since 2007.

The Czech Republic has expressed support for Israel. Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský visited Israel shortly after the attack, and Prime Minister Petr Fiala confirmed his unwavering support for Israel and its right to self-defense during a recent visit.

Two weeks ago, Černochová participated in an event opposing a rally in Prague's Wenceslas Square, during which individuals criticized Israel's retaliatory actions in the Gaza Strip.