United Nations Secretary General António Guterres has been declared persona non grata in Israel following his response to Iran’s recent ballistic missile bombardment. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz criticized Guterres as an “anti-Israel secretary-general who lends support to terrorists” in a statement released on Wednesday.
The ban comes in the wake of Guterres’s comments on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) after Iran launched approximately 180 missiles into Israeli territory. While condemning the escalating conflict in the Middle East, Guterres called for a ceasefire, but notably did not specifically address the Iranian attack. He described the situation as a “broadening” of the conflict that “must stop.”
Katz responded to Guterres’s statement by asserting that anyone who fails to “unequivocally condemn Iran’s heinous attack on Israel does not deserve to step foot on Israeli soil.” He further criticized Guterres for what he described as an anti-Israel stance since the onset of the current conflict.
The missile strike by Iran marks a significant escalation in ongoing hostilities that began nearly a year ago with attacks by Hamas on Israel. The recent surge in violence has also seen increased clashes between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israeli forces.
The backdrop of these tensions includes Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which was initiated in response to a deadly attack by Hamas on October 7, where approximately 1,200 individuals were killed, and 251 were taken hostage. The humanitarian toll of the ongoing military operations in Gaza has been devastating, with the Hamas-run health ministry reporting a death toll of 41,689 since the conflict escalated.
Throughout the conflict, relations between Israel and the United Nations have been strained. This includes disagreements over the situation in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as the operations of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Earlier this year, Israel accused certain UNRWA staff members of involvement in the October 7 attacks, prompting an investigation by the agency. Despite some international funders withdrawing support temporarily, funding has since been reinstated. In August, the agency dismissed nine staff members linked to the attacks.
As the situation continues to unfold, tensions between Israel and international bodies, including the UN, remain high.
