Sa’ar slams 'hypocritical obsession in the West' during UN West Bank debate

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar sharply challenged his British counterpart during a United Nations Security Council session on the Middle East, convened under Britain’s rotating presidency.

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper criticized Israel’s decision to lift some construction restrictions in the West Bank condemned settler violence, and called for stronger Palestinian leadership.

In response, Sa’ar waved a historical map and recalled Britain’s 1917 Balfour Declaration supporting a Jewish national home. He also cited Winston Churchill’s 1921 remarks in favor of Jewish settlement, asking Cooper: “What remains of the legacy of Balfour and Churchill?”

Sa’ar denounced what he called a “hypocritical obsession” with the Jewish presence in the West Bank, arguing that preventing Jews from living there would be both morally wrong and contrary to international law. He noted that Jews freely live in London, Paris, and New York, yet face opposition in the historical heartland of their people.

Turning to Russia’s UN representative, Sa’ar mocked Moscow’s commentary on occupation and annexation, saying he “could not help but laugh” at their statements.