Ted Cruz Launches Attack on UN for Defending Hamas over Israel: 'Absurd and Dishonest’
Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz criticized a newly released United Nations report on Monday that concluded Israel committed war crimes against Palestinians during a 2018 protest despite Hamas’s use of civilians as human shields.
“This U.N. report is on its face absurd and dishonest and we know because they have been doing it for a long time,” Cruz said on a telephone call hosted by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America.
“Hamas and Hezbollah use human shields as a deliberate tactic. They use innocent Palestinian civilians, to put them in harm’s way, because they intend to exploit those human shields for when they are injured or killed when Israel defends itself.”
The United Nations Human Rights Council determined in the report that Israel used “excessive force” during the nine-month period in question.
Over that time, Israeli security forces shot and wounded 6,016 protesters in Gaza and “there was no justification” for Israel’s use of force, the report stated. The report did acknowledge Hamas encouraged Palestinian protesters to use incendiary kites, which caused “fear among civilians and significant damage to property in southern Israel.”
Cruz didn’t hold back in his criticism.
“The United Nations long has been a reservoir of deep anti-Israel animus,” Cruz continued.
“This report today is yet another example of that.” (RELATED: Ted Cruz Explains Why Interventionist And Isolationists Are Both Wrong)
The Human Rights Council adopted a resolution in May 2018 after President Donald Trump relocated the United States Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a move that inspired thousands of Palestinians to riot and ultimately storm the Gaza-Israel border.
Hamas preemptively offered compensation to the families of Palestinians who were injured or killed during the demonstration — a spokesman for the terrorist organization revealed the payment rates would be as high as $3,000, reported The Jerusalem Post.
Humans were also reportedly used as shields, a concept that Cruz stressed.
“It is a repeated and deliberate strategy of Hamas to use human shields,” the Texas senator said.
“The U.N. report ignores that reality.”
United States officials have maintained that Israeli Defense Forces acted appropriately.
“America stands with Israel for many reasons, but none more important than standing with Israel furthers our own national security interests,” Cruz added.
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org. A version of this article appeared on The Daily Caller News Foundation website.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
