Israel has declared United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres as a “persona non grata” on Wednesday, accusing him of failing to explicitly condemn Iran’s missile attacks. The announcement was made by Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, who stated that Guterres is unfit to set foot on Israeli soil due to his stance.
Katz criticized Guterres, labeling him as an “anti-Israel Secretary-General” who, in his view, supports terrorists, rapists, and murderers. He further accused Guterres of backing global terrorism by siding with groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and now Iran. Katz added that Guterres’ actions would be remembered as a stain on the history of the UN.
This follows Guterres’ remarks on Tuesday night condemning the growing violence in the Middle East after Iranian missile strikes. Guterres called for an immediate end to the escalating conflict, urging for a ceasefire to be established.
Israel’s criticism of the UN has intensified, particularly following the Hamas attacks on October 7 of last year, which has further strained relations between Israel and the international body. Guterres has consistently called for ceasefires in ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, a stance that has increasingly drawn the ire of Israeli officials.
