Israeli ambassador shreds UN Charter in protest at Palestine rights vote
The Israeli ambassador to the United Nations shredded a copy of the UN Charter at the general assembly on Friday in protest of a vote to give additional rights to Palestine.
Gilad Erdan, Israel’s representative at the body in New York, used a miniature shredder to destroy a copy of the UN’s foundational treaty while declaring to other member states: “Shame on you!”
His protest came ahead of a vote to give Palestine additional rights within the UN, where it remains an “observer” without full membership.
The UN general assembly voted overwhelmingly to reconsider Palestine’s membership, and to express “deep regret and concern” over the US’s decision to veto its recognition on April 18.
In an emotional speech, Riyad Mansour, Palestine’s ambassador to the UN, called the vote “historic” and “significant”.
However, Israel reacted furiously to the suggestion that Palestine should be admitted.
Mr Erdan, speaking from the podium before the vote, fed the UN Charter into the shredder and told members: “You are shredding the UN Charter with your own hands.
“Yes, yes, that’s what you’re doing. Shredding the UN Charter. Shame on you.”
He later said that admitting Palestine to the UN would give “the rights of a state to an entity that is already partly controlled by terrorists, and will be replaced by a force of child-murdering Hamas rapists”.
A new state cannot be given membership of the UN without a successful vote at the UN security council, where all five permanent members including the US and UK have a veto.
A motion to admit Palestine would then require a two-thirds majority in the general assembly, which includes all member states.
An attempt to allow Palestine to join the body was vetoed by the US on April 18, amid opposition from allies and Israel.
The US has previously suggested it would be willing to recognise Palestine as a state but has said it would first seek agreement from Israel, which it hopes would agree in exchange for a deal normalising its relations with Saudi Arabia.
Farhan Haq, the UN’s deputy spokesman, described the shredding as “theatrics”.
”Regarding the charter, obviously this is an organisation that is premised on respect for the UN Charter, and all of the member states have pledged to uphold the UN Charter, and we expect them to fulfil that obligation,” he said.
