Israel has declared United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres as persona non grata, banning him from entering the country. The decision, announced by Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday, follows Guterres’ failure to unequivocally condemn a recent missile attack on Israel by Iran.
Iran launched nearly 200 ballistic missiles at Israel, targeting multiple areas on Tuesday night. While world leaders condemned the attack, Guterres issued a statement calling for de-escalation in the Middle East without specifically condemning Iran. This omission angered Israeli officials.
Katz criticized Guterres for not denouncing the attack and accused him of failing to address atrocities committed by groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. Katz declared that Israel would continue defending its citizens and uphold its dignity, with or without the UN chief.
