Defense Minister Urges Czech Republic to Quit UN Over ‘Shameful’ Vote on Gaza Crisis

The Czech Republic has offered its full-throated support for Israel in its war against Hamas in Gaza, with Czech Prime Minister Fetr Fiala telling his Israeli counterpart Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the Palestinian militia is a “common enemy” of Europe and Israel.

Czech Defense Minister Jana Cernochova has slammed a United Nations resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian truce in Gaza, suggesting Prague should consider quitting the international body altogether.

“Only 14 countries, including ours, stood up against the unprecedented terrorist attack committed by Hamas ... clearly and comprehensibly! I am ashamed of the UN. In my opinion, the Czech Republic has nothing to expect from an organization that supports terrorists and does not respect the basic right to self-defense. Let’s get out,” Cernochova wrote in a social media post.

The post was written in response to a UN General Assembly vote on Friday in favor of a resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian truce between Israel and Hamas, and urgent access for aid deliveries to Gaza. The Czech Republic was one of 14 countries that voted against the resolution, joining Austria, Croatia, Fiji, Guatemala, Hungary, Israel, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Tonga and the United States. 120 other countries, including Russia, Brazil, China, South Africa, Iraq, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Iran and others voted in favor. 45 countries, many of them US allies, abstained.

Cernochova’s post was met with a mixed reaction from her followers, with some offering support, while others expressed criticism over her “emotional” assessment. The defense minister wound up getting into a heated argument with users about how Prague has no business being a member to an organization that fails to stand with Israel.

“Mrs. Defense Minister, as a representative of a state that has a defined foreign policy, you can’t say this! An absolutely unprofessional act for someone performing the function of minister of defense!” someone wrote. “If you don’t agree with the government’s official foreign policy, you shouldn’t be a minister,” another suggested. “Is this some sort of race between Czech politicians to see who can climb deeper up Israel’s butt?” another quipped. “Leaving the UN is a half-baked solution. You can’t fix cracked walls in your house by moving,” another urged.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala traveled to Israel last week to meet with Benjamin Netanyahu. “I want to make it very clear: the Czech Republic stands with Israel, now and ever. And like 75 years ago, you can count on our voice and our support,” Fiala said. “My goal is to ensure that the [European] Council confirms the strong support for Israel and its right to defend itself. Hamas is our common enemy. We must ensure that it is isolated,” he added.

Netanyahu thanked Fiala for his visit in Israel’s “darkest hour.”

Fiala added that along with moral support, Czech defense companies have ramped up the delivery of military equipment to Israel – in the form of 3,000 ballistic plates for body armor, and are willing to send more.

In addition to calling for a ceasefire, the UNGA resolution passed on Friday called for all parties to "immediately and fully" comply with international humanitarian law, including as regards the facilitation of humanitarian access "of essential supplies and services to reach all civilians in need in the Gaza Strip." Gaza's population of 2.1 million people has suffered the dwindling supply of food, water, medicines and medical equipment, electricity and other basic needs in the wake of this month's escalation and a decision by Israel to cut off utilities and most traffic in or out of the 365 km territory.

* Hamas is recognized as a terrorist group by Israel, the European Union, the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, Britain and the Organization of American States, but not by Russia, China, Iran, Turkiye, and dozens of other countries around the world.