Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar delivered a press statement at the United Nations on Tuesday ahead of a high-level Security Council session on the Middle East, sharply criticizing what he described as an "anti-Israeli obsession" within the international body.
"I came to the United Nations today - which is unfortunately infected with an anti-Israeli obsession - to speak the truth, present the facts, and defend our rights," Sa’ar said.
He emphasized that Israel is "a peace-seeking nation, standing as a fortress of Western civilization," and warned that efforts to eliminate the Jewish state have persisted since its establishment.
"The attempts to eliminate Israel began the day it was born," he stated. "We've seen, over the past two and a half years, that the desire to eliminate Israel still exists, and has grown even stronger."
"Our enemies won't succeed. But they haven't given up their goal of Israel's elimination," Sa’ar added, cautioning, "And make no mistake - the West is next."
Addressing the historical connection of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel, Sa’ar declared, "Jews are the indigenous people of the Land of Israel. This is a well-known and documented historical fact - that renders ridiculous the huge antisemitic attempts to undermine the Jewish people's right on its land."
He stressed that Jewish presence in the land "has not ceased even for a day," and recalled that "104 years ago, the League of Nations - the UN's predecessor - gave the British a mandate to re-establish a Jewish national home in the land of Israel."
Sa’ar criticized a recent vote at the UN, saying, "Yesterday, 85 countries stood here and denied the Jewish people's right to live in the same places recognized as belonging to a Jewish national home."
"Amazingly, so many countries say that Jewish presence in our ancient homeland violates international law," he continued. "The opposite is true: No other nation, in any other place in the world, has a stronger right than our historical and documented right to the land of the Bible."
Turning to diplomatic efforts, Sa’ar noted that he would represent Israel at President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace summit.
"Tomorrow I'll have the honor of representing Israel at President Trump's Board of Peace summit," he said. "We support President Trump's Plan."
According to Sa’ar, the plan centers on "the disarmament of Hamas, demilitarization of Gaza and de-radicalization of Palestinian society."
"If these are achieved - there will, for the first time, be a chance to move toward a new reality in Gaza and the region," he said, adding that "The security, stability and prosperity of all - depend on it."
Sa’ar questioned the UN’s current role and standing, asking why the upcoming summit was being treated as more significant than the Security Council session.
"Why is everyone treating tomorrow's summit as far more important than the meeting here in 15 minutes?" he asked.
"What does it say about the UN's standing today? Why has the UN become irrelevant for solving conflicts in the world? Why has it been infested by an anti-Israeli obsession?"
Referring to recent criticism voiced by US Ambassador Waltz, Sa’ar asked, "Why, as US Ambassador Waltz recently said, has the UN become a 'cesspool for antisemitism'?"
He also criticized the conduct of UN Rapporteur Albanese, asking, "How can it be that the UN is represented by such extreme, antisemitic and delusional characters like UN Rapporteur Albanese?"
"It's not solely our issue," Sa’ar concluded. "It also undermines the credibility of this institution. I call on the UN to wake up before it loses its remaining importance, influence and status."