On the Czech Republic’s national holiday, October 28, Defence Minister Jana Černochová of the ODS party made waves with her unexpected stance on the United Nations. In a social media post on the platform X, she called for the Czech Republic to withdraw from the UN, citing her dissatisfaction with the General Assembly’s adoption of a resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in the context of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Černochová highlighted the fact that only 14 countries, including the Czech Republic, had taken a clear and comprehensive stand against the actions of Hamas radicals on Israeli territory on October 7. She expressed her frustration with the UN, stating, “I am ashamed of the UN. In my opinion, the Czech Republic has no place in an organization that seems to support terrorists and does not respect the fundamental right to self-defense. It’s time for us to leave,” as conveyed in her X network post.
Emphasizing the consistency of her positions, a prominent member of the Fial government stated, “I will not change my stance, even as a minister.”
Černochová’s response came in reaction to a recent UN General Assembly resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict. The proposal was put forward by a coalition of Arab countries led by Jordan. Notably, representatives of Israel, Austria, and the USA voted in alignment with the Czech Republic.
In contrast to Černochová’s stance, government colleague Vít Rakušan of the STAN party expressed his understanding of the Defence Minister’s frustration. However, he does not view leaving the UN as a viable solution. Rakušan asserted that discussions about reform have been ongoing and are entirely appropriate given the international situation. He suggested that departing from the international community would not benefit the Czech Republic, the UN, and ultimately, even Israel itself, as stated by the Interior Minister.
Meanwhile, the Israel-Hamas conflict appears to be evolving beyond a ceasefire. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed a new phase in the conflict, with Israeli ground forces having infiltrated the Gaza Strip on a previous Friday. This followed a surprise attack on Israeli territory by militants three weeks ago.
It’s worth noting that Černochová made her post about the potential withdrawal from the United Nations on a day when the nation commemorated the establishment of the independent Czechoslovak state 105 years ago. During a speech on this occasion, President Pavel remarked that the Czech Republic currently has the strongest security anchor in its history.
