The United Nations’ (UN) secretary-general, António Guterres, has been declared “persona non grata” by Israel’s foreign minister over his controversial response to Iran’s missile bombardment Tuesday.
Guterres will no longer be permitted to enter Israel after its foreign ministry condemned his response to Iran’s attack that saw more than 180 ballistic missiles fired into the country. Israel’s foreign ministry strongly criticized his response, pointing out that “he failed to mention Iran by name and did not unequivocally condemn its grave aggression.”
Foreign Minister Israel Katz took to social media to call out the UN secretary-general’s lack of support for Israel. “This is a Secretary-General who has yet to denounce the massacre and sexual atrocities committed by Hamas murderers on October 7, nor has he led any efforts to declare them a terrorist organization.”
Today, I have declared UN Secretary-General @antonioguterres persona non grata in Israel and banned him from entering the country.
Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran’s heinous attack on Israel, as almost every country in the world has done, does not deserve to step…
— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) October 2, 2024
Katz went on: “A Secretary-General who gives backing to terrorists, rapists, and murderers from Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and now Iran—the mothership of global terror—will be remembered as a stain on the history of the UN.”
The sharp criticism arrives after Guterres posted on social media following Iran’s attack that he condemned “the broadening of the Middle East conflict with escalation after escalation.” The UN secretary-general also called for a ceasefire in his message.
I condemn the broadening of the Middle East conflict with escalation after escalation.
This must stop.
We absolutely need a ceasefire.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) October 1, 2024
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) say that the majority of the almost 200 ballistic missiles launched into the country were intercepted, although a small number managed to strike southern and central Israel, reports the BBC. Israelis across the country were forced to take shelter during the missile barrage.
Iran claims that the missile attack was a response to the assassinations of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut.
