Israel chastised a senior U.N. official who likened Palestinian rocket attacks to Israeli countermeasures.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry said Monday that its director general, Aaron Abramovich, met U.N. Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes during a visit by Holmes to Israel and the Palestinian-populated territories.
Holmes had decried rocket salvos by Palestinian terrorists on Sderot as well as Israeli military actions against Palestinian militants, describing them collectively as a “cycle of violence,” the ministry said.
Abramovich responded that “the use of expressions such as these creates an analogy between the terrorists and those who are defending themselves against terror.”
He also said Holmes’ remarks do not serve the interests of peace, as they may unwittingly encourage terrorists to believe that the international community will exert pressure on Israel, instead of dealing with the roots of the violence.
Holmes did not immediately issue a response.
