Israel's UN Envoy Confronts Turkish Secretary-General Candidate Over Hamas
Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon confronted Turkish UN chief candidate Feridun Sinirlioğlu over his past opposition to condemning Hamas, demanding an unequivocal stance.
Israel's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Danny Danon, confronted Turkish candidate Feridun Sinirlioğlu during a hearing for the position of UN Secretary-General, demanding an unequivocal condemnation of Hamas for its past opposition to such measures.
A Direct Challenge at the UN General Assembly
Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Danon surprised the Turkish diplomat by bringing up his past diplomatic record. "When you served as Turkey's permanent representative, you called on this assembly to reject an amendment condemning Hamas and demanding it cease its violent activities," Danon stated. "On October 7, Hamas carried out the most severe massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. Now, as you run for UN Secretary-General, do you finally have the courage to unequivocally condemn Hamas?"
Sinirlioğlu responded by noting his extensive diplomatic career, which included serving as Turkey's ambassador to Israel from 2002 to 2007. "I served in Israel for five years and I know the country well. In 2018, I represented Turkey's position," he said. "I condemn terrorism in all its forms. As for Hamas, like any other organization, if it is determined to have violated international law, it must be held accountable for its actions."
Diplomatic Background and Past Statements
Sinirlioğlu served as Turkey's UN ambassador from 2016 to 2023, briefly held the position of foreign minister in 2015, and was appointed in 2023 by Antonio Guterres as a special coordinator to review the situation in Afghanistan. In December 2024, he was appointed Secretary-General of the OSCE with the agreement of all 57 member states.
During his tenure at the UN, Sinirlioğlu frequently clashed with Israeli officials. In May 2021, during hostilities in Gaza, he told the Security Council that responsibility rested with the Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu, labeled attacks on UNRWA facilities as war crimes, and asserted that the occupation must end. Conversely, in February, speaking as OSCE Secretary-General at a conference on antisemitism, he invoked the six million victims of the Holocaust and urged concrete action against hate crimes.
