Top UN Diplomat Resigns Citing ‘Text-Book Case of Genocide’ in Gaza

GENEVA (KI) – The director of the UN human rights office in New York resigned over the organization’s “failure” to stop what he said is a “text-book case of genocide” unfolding in Gaza.

Craig Mokhiber sent a four-page letter of resignation to the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk. The letter dated Oct. 28 surfaced late Tuesday.
“Once again, we are seeing genocide unfolding before our eyes, and the organization that we serve appears powerless to stop it,” Mokhiber said.
“This is a text-book case of genocide. The European, ethno-nationalist, settler colonial project in Palestine has entered its final phase, toward the expedited destruction of the last remnants of indigenous Palestinian life in Palestine,” he said.
Accusing the U.S., UK and much of Europe of being “wholly complicit in the horrific assault” Mokhiber said: “Not only are these governments refusing to meet their treaty obligations ‘to ensure respect’ for the Geneva Conventions, but they are in fact actively arming the assault, providing economic and intelligence support, and giving political and diplomatic cover for Israel’s atrocities.”
Since last weekend, the Zionist regime’s army has widened its air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip, which has been under relentless airstrikes since Oct. 7.
More than 8,796 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict.
Zionist prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected growing calls for a cease-fire, saying it would be a “surrender” to Hamas and “that will not happen.”
The United Nations chief also said Tuesday he was “deeply alarmed” by the intensifying conflict, while the UN refugee agency appealed for the divided Security Council to act.
The 15-member Council has not adopted any resolution on the three-week-long war in the Middle East, rejecting four drafts.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the escalating fighting included ground invasion by Zionist troops accompanied by intense air strikes.
“Civilians have borne the brunt of the current fighting from the outset,” he said in his statement.
“I condemn the killing of civilians in Gaza and I am dismayed by reports that two-thirds of those who have been killed are women and children.”
Guterres also underlined his fears “about the risk of a dangerous escalation beyond Gaza.”
As fierce fighting raged Tuesday, the United Nations high commissioner for refugees urged the UN Security Council to unite and back a cease-fire.
“A humanitarian cease-fire can at least stop this spiral of death and I hope that you will overcome your divisions and exercise your authority in demanding one,” Filippo Grandi told the Security Council in New York.
Grandi later told reporters that bringing help into Gaza was the most important humanitarian goal.