Watan-In a scene described as expressing solidarity with Palestinians greater than many Arab leaders and in a stance that slaps the Arab Zionists’ complacency towards Gaza’s plight, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, revealed that he fasted during his current visit to several countries in the region during the holy month of Ramadan.
Guterres said in a post on his “X” platform account, “My fasting during my solidarity journey in the month of Ramadan is a respect for the beliefs of the Muslim peoples I am currently visiting, but my heart is broken because many Palestinians in Gaza are unable to have a proper iftar.”
Guterres is visiting Egypt and Jordan as part of an annual tour during Ramadan that includes visits to Islamic countries.
Fasting during my Ramadan solidarity mission, out of respect for the beliefs of the Muslim people I’m visiting, my heart is broken knowing that so many Palestinians in Gaza will not be able to have a proper Iftar.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) March 24, 2024
During a visit he made on Saturday to the Egyptian border area with Gaza, he described the accumulation of aid allocated to the Palestinian territory as an “ethical humiliation.”
The Secretary-General also called for an end to the endless nightmare experienced by Gazans, and urged Israel, in a press conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, to remove any remaining obstacles to the entry of humanitarian aid into the sector.
Wide praise and extensive appreciation
Wide praise and appreciation come amidst great praise for Guterres’ positions on the brutal Israeli war on Gaza, showing great solidarity with Palestinians.
Ahmed el-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar in Egypt, welcomed Guterres on Sunday, accompanied by the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, and the UN Resident Coordinator in Egypt, Elena Panova, where the two parties discussed developments in Gaza.
A gift from El-Tayeb to Guterres
El-Tayeb praised Guterres’ courageous stances in supporting the Palestinian cause and supporting justice and human rights in Gaza, as well as his clear warnings to the world about the dangers of this aggression, and the significant efforts made by the UNRWA towards refugees fleeing the aggression.
El-Tayeb presented Guterres with a shield from the Council of Muslim Elders, as a tribute from Al-Azhar and all the wise men of the Islamic world for his courageous positions towards the innocent Palestinians in Gaza, as well as his stance in combating Islamophobia and the phenomenon of hostility towards Islam.