Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, has declared United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres persona non grata, effectively banning him from entering Israel.
The decision, announced on Wednesday, was in response to what Katz described as Guterres’ failure to strongly condemn Iran’s attack on Israel and his perceived support for terrorist organizations.
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“Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran’s heinous attack on Israel does not deserve to set foot on Israeli soil,” Katz said. He accused Guterres of being an anti-Israel UN chief who provides “support to terrorists,” such as Hamas, Hezbollah, Yemen’s Houthi rebels and Iran.
The decision comes after a series of statements from Guterres that Katz claims show an ongoing bias against Israel since the conflict began.
Katz criticized the UN Secretary-General for not taking a decisive stance on Hamas’ atrocities committed on October 7, 2023, and for failing to advocate for resolutions officially designating Hamas as a terrorist organization.
Guterres has yet to respond to the announcement.
Before Iran’s attack on Tuesday, Guterres had called for an immediate ceasefire, according to a statement from his spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric. The statement emphasized the need to prevent “an all-out war in Lebanon at all costs.”
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