'Staying silent in face of evil': Israel envoy to UN vows to wear yellow star until UN condemns Hamas 'atrocities'

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, has criticised the UN Security Council for continuing to not condemn Hamas for its onslaught on Israel on October 7. Erdan and other members of the Israeli delegation at the UN wore yellow star of David stickers with “Never Again” written in the middle as an affront to the Security Council’s silence. Erdan provocatively pledged to wear the badge until members of the body condemn Hamas “atrocities.” “Some of you have learned nothing in the past 80 years. Some of you have forgotten why this body was established,” Erdan said, as he denounced the Security Council for “staying silent” over the unprecedented attacks by Hamas against Israel on October 7. “So, I will remind you. From this day on, each time you look at me you will remember what staying silent in the face of evil means. Just like my parents, and the grandparents of millions of Jews, my team and I will wear yellow stars,” Erdan said. “We will wear this star until you condemn the atrocities of Hamas and demand the immediate release of our hostages. We walk with the yellow star as a symbol of pride, a reminder that we swore to fight back to defend ourselves,” the ambassador said. The deeply divided 15-member council has not adopted a single resolution on the three-week-long war between Israel and Hamas. “From this day on, each time you look at me, you will remember what staying silent in the face of evil means,” he said. The words “Never Again” was in reference to the yellow stars Jews were forced to wear by the Nazis. For weeks the Security Council has been riven by divisions over the war and its impact, rejecting four draft resolutions about the conflict. Some texts were blocked by the US, a close Israel ally, because they did not mention Israel’s right to defend itself. Another presented by the Americans was stymied by Russia and China in particular because it did not clearly call for a ceasefire. In light of the impasse, the UN General Assembly last Friday adopted by a large majority a nonbinding resolution requesting an “immediate humanitarian truce,” but not mentioning Hamas. Israel, through Erdan, blasted the text, saying it will “go down as infamy. “During Monday’s Security Council meeting, several speakers, while denouncing the Hamas attacks, highlighted the price paid by inhabitants of Gaza, where health officials say more than 8,300 people have been killed in the Hamas-run Palestinian territory. Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, or UNRWA, said the siege of Gaza amounts to collective punishment of its residents. With inputs from AFP