Israel has declared UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “persona non grata,” accusing him of failing to specifically condemn Iran’s missile attack on Israel. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz stated, “Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran’s heinous attack on Israel does not deserve to step foot on Israeli soil.” He described Guterres as an “anti-Israel Secretary-General” who supports groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, labeling him a “stain on the history of the UN for generations to come.”
This declaration followed Guterres’s comments after the missile attack, where he condemned the escalating conflict in the Middle East and called for a ceasefire, stating, “This must stop. We absolutely need a ceasefire.” Tensions between Israel and the UN have increased, particularly after the Hamas attacks on October 7, with Guterres repeatedly advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon.
