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Israel Accuses Türkiye of 'Malice' over UN Arms Embargo Call

Israel UN ambassador Danny Danon on Monday accused Türkiye of “malice,” after Ankara submitted a letter calling for a halt in arms deliveries to Israel over the war in Gaza. (Reuters/File)
Israel UN ambassador Danny Danon on Monday accused Türkiye of “malice,” after Ankara submitted a letter calling for a halt in arms deliveries to Israel over the war in Gaza. (Reuters/File)
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Israel Accuses Türkiye of 'Malice' over UN Arms Embargo Call

Israel UN ambassador Danny Danon on Monday accused Türkiye of “malice,” after Ankara submitted a letter calling for a halt in arms deliveries to Israel over the war in Gaza. (Reuters/File)
Israel UN ambassador Danny Danon on Monday accused Türkiye of “malice,” after Ankara submitted a letter calling for a halt in arms deliveries to Israel over the war in Gaza. (Reuters/File)

Israel's ambassador to the United Nations on Monday accused Türkiye of "malice," after Ankara submitted a letter signed by 52 countries calling for a halt in arms deliveries to Israel over the war in Gaza.
"What else can be expected from a country whose actions are driven by malice in an attempt to create conflicts with the support of the 'Axis of Evil' countries," said Ambassador Danny Danon, using a pejorative term to describe the countries who signed the letter.
Türkiye’s foreign ministry said Sunday it had submitted the letter to the United Nations, with the signatories including the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
Israel has faced international criticism for the conduct of its war in Gaza, where its offensive has killed at least 43,374 people, most of them civilians, according to health ministry figures which the United Nations considers to be reliable.
The war began when Palestinian armed group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,206 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
“This letter is further proof that the UN is led by some sinister countries and not by the liberal countries that support the values of justice and morality," said Danon.
Türkiye’s letter, seen by AFP Monday, called the "staggering" civilian death toll "unconscionable and intolerable."
"We therefore make this collective call for immediate steps to be taken to halt the provision or transfer of arms, munitions and related equipment to Israel, the occupying Power, in all cases where there are reasonable grounds to suspect that they may be used in the Occupied Palestinian Territory," the letter said.
It added that the UN Security Council (UNSC) must take steps to ensure compliance with its resolutions "which are being flagrantly violated."
The UNSC called in March for a ceasefire in Gaza, but has struggled to speak with a unified voice on the issue due to the veto wielded by Israel's key ally, the United States.
Asked about the joint letter on Monday, the spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he had not seen it.

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Pakistan Says It Is Committed to Truce with India, Vows Response to Aggression 

A boy looks out of his damaged house from Pakistani artillery shelling upon his return to Kotmaira village along the Line of Control in Akhnoor Sector, India, Tuesday, May 13, 2025.(AP)
A boy looks out of his damaged house from Pakistani artillery shelling upon his return to Kotmaira village along the Line of Control in Akhnoor Sector, India, Tuesday, May 13, 2025.(AP)
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Pakistan Says It Is Committed to Truce with India, Vows Response to Aggression 

A boy looks out of his damaged house from Pakistani artillery shelling upon his return to Kotmaira village along the Line of Control in Akhnoor Sector, India, Tuesday, May 13, 2025.(AP)
A boy looks out of his damaged house from Pakistani artillery shelling upon his return to Kotmaira village along the Line of Control in Akhnoor Sector, India, Tuesday, May 13, 2025.(AP)

Pakistan said on Tuesday it remained committed to a truce with India agreed after four days of intense fighting last week, but vowed to respond with full resolve to any future aggression by New Delhi.

The nuclear-armed neighbors halted their worst fighting in nearly three decades after agreeing to a ceasefire on Saturday, following diplomacy and pressure from the United States.

Tuesday's comments from Islamabad came in response to a speech by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi the previous day that warned Pakistan New Delhi would target "terrorist hideouts" across the border again if there were new attacks on India, without being deterred by "nuclear blackmail".

Pakistan's foreign ministry said Islamabad categorically rejected Modi's "provocative and inflammatory assertions" in the speech.

"At a time when international efforts are being made for regional peace and stability, this statement represents a dangerous escalation," it said in a statement.

"Pakistan remains committed to the recent ceasefire understanding and taking necessary steps towards de-escalation and regional stability," it said, promising full resolve in meeting any future aggression by its neighbor.

The two sides fired missiles and drones targeting each other's military installations after India said it struck "terrorist infrastructure" sites in Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir on Wednesday in retaliation for an attack in Indian Kashmir that killed 26 Hindu tourists.

Pakistan, which said the targets were all civilian, denies Indian accusations that it was behind the attack in the Himalayan region. Its military has said 40 civilians and 11 of its armed forces were killed in the attack.

India said at least five of its military personnel and 16 civilians died.

India said on Tuesday it had declared an official of the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi persona non grata "for indulging in activities not in keeping with his official status".

Pakistan also declared a staff member at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad persona non grata "for engaging in activities incompatible with his privileged status".

Each was given 24 hours to leave the country.

Both countries have already reduced the strength of their embassies after relations nosedived after the April 22 attack.

MODI REPEATS WARNING

Hindu-majority India and Muslim Pakistan each rule part of Kashmir, but both claim it in full, having fought two of their three wars since independence in 1947 over it, along with several limited flare-ups, particularly in 1999 and 2019.

Earlier on Tuesday, Modi visited the Adampur air base near the border and repeated his warning to Pakistan in remarks to Indian Air Force personnel, with whom he posed for photographs.

"We will not differentiate between the government sponsoring terrorism and the masterminds of terrorism," Modi said, referring to India's response in the event of another attack.

"We will enter their dens and hit them without giving them an opportunity to survive."

Separately, the Indian foreign ministry said the issue of trade did not come up in talks with Washington regarding the tension with Pakistan.

The understanding to stop the fighting was reached directly with Islamabad after Pakistan's military operations chief called his Indian counterpart and made the proposal, it added.

Pakistan has said it called India in response to a call from New Delhi on May 7, which the Indian military immediately followed its strikes on the "terrorist infrastructure" in Pakistan.

On Monday, US President Donald Trump said the leaders of India and Pakistan were "unwavering", and the United States had "helped a lot" to secure the ceasefire, adding that trade was a "big reason" why the countries stopped fighting.

India has said the military operations chiefs of both nations spoke by telephone on Monday, reiterating their commitment to halt firing and consider steps to reduce troops on the border.

Pakistan has not provided details of the call.