The Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, was unmoved when U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres tried to defend him from critics.

Guterres released a statement on Tuesday to defend his remarks about the Israel-Hamas conflict, and denied that he had justified Hamas terrorist acts by saying that the atrocities of Oct. 7, “didn’t happen in a void.”

Erdan replied: “It’s a disgrace for the UN that the Secretary-General does not retract his remarks and isn’t even able to apologize for what he stated yesterday.” “He must resign.”

“The Secretary-General, yet again, twists and distorts the truth. He said clearly yesterday that the Hamas massacre ‘didn’t happen in a vacuum’. Everybody understands that his words mean that Israel is guilty of Hamas’ actions or at least that he has an understanding of the background leading up to that massacre.

“A Secretary-General who does not understand that the murder of innocents can never be understood by any ‘background’ cannot be Secretary-General. It is sad that this is the man who heads the UN which is supposed to fight terrorism and global atrocities. I again call on him to resign.

“Israel will strive to send a clear message that the UN, and its leader in particular, will not be tolerated for their continued bias and hatred against Israel.”