The United Nations says it has removed a controversial artwork that called for the destruction of Israel.
The most popular painting on the panel showed a map of Israel, shaped like a watermelon, without the West Bank or Gaza partition. In the upper right corner was the flag of Palestine.
The left side of the map contained the phrase “From the River to the Sea” and the right side had the phrase, “It Will Be Free” in a nod to the phrase, “From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will Be Free.” .”
The UN side panel has been removed due to controversial graphics. (Fox News Digital)
The phrase has become a rallying cry for Palestinians around the world who are protesting against Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, sparked by Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 in Israel. Israelis take this phrase as a call for genocide, and for Israel to be completely wiped off the map.
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Fox News Digital was the first to report on the UN drawing on Monday. It also drew the attention of Danny Danon, Israel's permanent representative to the UN, who called the display a “disgrace” and demanded the UN remove it.
The UN told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that the “Peace Flags” exhibit is a way to “repurpose fashion waste for positive impact.”
An exhibition shown at the United Nations. (Fox News Digital)
The UN said an employee informed the editor at the time of the installation that several panels – including one with the text “From the River to the Sea” – could not be displayed.
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The UN said the controversial panels were covered in the second week of October, but someone “removed those covers” early last week.
Most of the paintings show a clear call for peace. (Fox News Digital)
“Our partners covered it twice last week and were planning to do the same today when they heard it was leaked again,” a UN spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “We have informed UN Security about the continued unauthorized interference in the demonstration and are reviewing the security footage to determine who is responsible.”
Danon took to X on Tuesday, criticizing the UN for what he sees as its lack of leadership.
“Yesterday, I exposed the hypocrisy of the UN with an exhibition showing children's drawings in which the State of Israel was erased and filled with hateful images,” said Danon. “After speaking strongly with the leadership of the UN, the exhibition was repaired, and these anti-Semitic paintings were removed from the walls. We will stand for the truth and each time we see acts of opposition and hypocrisy, we will confront them directly.”
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Fox News Digital confirmed on Wednesday that after covering the panel with the “From River to Sea” painting, the panel has now been completely removed.
A spokesman for the Secretary General told reporters on Wednesday: “It is being worked on, and we are responding to the Israeli embassy.”
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