Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz has announced that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is prohibited from entering the country. This decision comes in the wake of recent tensions between Israel and Iran.
On Wednesday, Israel officially declared UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “persona non grata,” citing what they perceive as a lack of explicit condemnation of Iran’s recent missile attack on Israel. Foreign Minister Katz stated, “Those who cannot unequivocally condemn the attack on Israel by Iran do not have the right to visit our country.” He further criticized Guterres, accusing him of supporting various groups that Israel considers hostile. The Foreign Minister went on to claim that Guterres’s actions and statements would be viewed negatively in the historical context of the United Nations.
This decision follows Iran’s missile strike against Israel on Tuesday night. In response to the attack, Guterres issued a statement expressing concern about the “widening conflict in the Middle East” and criticized the pattern of “escalation after escalation” in the region. The move by Israel marks a significant escalation in diplomatic tensions between the country and the United Nations, potentially complicating international efforts to address ongoing conflicts in the region.
