At a Wednesday UN Security Council (UNSC) meeting, Israelis and Palestinians argued over the upcoming plans of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's administration.
Riyad Mansour, the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations, referred to an Israeli minister's remark that "denying our existence to justify what is to come" during the monthly UN Security Council discussion on the Israeli-Palestinian issue. The Israeli minister has since apologized for his previous remarks towards Palestinians, according to Gilad Menashe Erdan, Israel's Permanent Representative to the UN. Israel's UN envoy subsequently charged the Palestinians for frequently encouraging terrorism.
The Palestinian UN envoy informed the UNSC that Bezalel Smotrich's declaration that there is "no such thing" as a Palestinian people is incorrect. He said that the claim was made in response to Israel's illegitimate takeover of Palestinian territories.
He asserted that certain Israeli officials ignore the humanity, rights, and links to the land of the Palestinian people. The UN Security Council and the international community were further urged by the Palestinian envoy to step up efforts to halt annexation and bloodshed against the Palestinian people.
The UN ambassador for Israel charged that the Palestinians propagated falsehoods and exalted terrorism. "Shame on you," he yelled at the Palestinian delegate. Disgrace to you. The Palestinian leadership frequently encourages terrorism but never denounces the killing of Israeli citizens. He further claimed that the Palestinian Authority was attempting to obliterate Jewish history.