Russia is “the last place that can preach to us,” Israel’s ambassador to the UN said, following Moscow’s criticism of Israeli actions in Gaza.

Israel has accused Russia of denying the country its right to “self-defense” after Moscow’s ambassador to the United Nations, Vassily Nebenzia, criticized the Israeli army over their ongoing military campaign in Gaza, RT reported.

The Israeli Ynet news media outlet reported on Thursday that Israel was “outraged” by the Russian diplomat’s statements, adding that relations between the two nations have been in decline amid the ongoing war on the besieged Gaza Strip

On Wednesday, Nebenzia told an emergency session of the UN General Assembly that Israel could not cite self-defense as a reason for its invasion into Gaza, as it had no jurisdiction to operate in the enclave in the first place and was acting as an “occupying power” there.

Israel is ‘Occupying State’, Has ‘No Right to Defend Itself’ – Russia

Israel’s ambassador to the international body, Gilad Erdan, hit back by saying it was “ridiculous to hear … the Russian representative preach morality to Israel on the issues of human rights and international law.”

He also said Moscow was “the last place that can preach to us,” pointing out Russia’s expulsion from the UN Human Rights Council.

Moscow was suspended from the UN body in April 2022, less than two months after the start of its operation in Ukraine. The resolution on the decision was supported by 93 members of the UN General Assembly, with 24 voting against and 58 abstaining.

The Israeli diplomat accused Russia of trying to divert the world’s attention from its own ongoing military campaign in Ukraine by drawing attention to the Israeli army’s actions in Gaza and called such attempts “unfortunate.”

In his Wednesday speech, Nebenzia affirmed that Israel is an occupying state and has no right to defend itself, calling for an end to the bloodshed, to avoid expanding the scope of the crisis to the entire region.

Nebenzia also stressed the need to allow the mediators to work on finding a “diplomatic solution, including the immediate release of prisoners.”

Top UN Official Resigns over Failure to Stop ‘Genocide’ in Gaza

Israel has, thus far, killed over 9,227 Palestinians in Gaza, including nearly 3,826 children and 2,045 women, and wounded more than 23,516. Palestinian Ministry of Health reports and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.

Despite a massive Israeli military buildup around the Gaza borders and sporadic infiltrations on the outskirts of the besieged Strip, Palestinian Resistance continues to repel Israeli attacks.

‘We are Shocked’: Russia Calls for Observance of Humanitarian Law in Gaza

To justify its military failure, the Israeli army continues to pound civilian homes throughout the Gaza Strip with new massacres reported everywhere in the besieged enclave.

Gaza has been under a tight Israeli military siege since 2007, following a democratic election in occupied Palestine, the results of which were rejected by Tel Aviv and Washington. 

(PC, RT)