Israel declares UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres persona non grata and bans entry to the country, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on Friday.
"Israeli Foreign Minister Katz said today [Wednesday] that he has declared UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres persona non grata in Israel, banning him from entering the country. This decision was made in light of Guterres' reaction to Iran's heinous attack on Israel, in which he participated... and did not unequivocally condemn this serious aggression," the statement said.
Katz accused Guterres of failing to condemn the Iranian missile attack, stating that he "does not deserve to step foot on Israeli soil."
Additionally, according to the Israeli foreign minister, the UN secretary-general supports Hamas fighters.
"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. [He]… will be remembered as a stain on the history of the UN," the statement read.
The day before, Guterres, following the Iranian attack on Israel, condemned the escalation of the Middle East conflict and called for a ceasefire.
Iran, in turn, blamed the UN Security Council for its inaction. The country's mission to the UN stated that this allowed Israel to cross all red lines, leaving the Islamic Republic no other choice.
On October 1, Iran launched a massive missile attack on Israel. The IDF reported about 180 ballistic missiles, most of which were intercepted. According to Israel, there were no civilian casualties. Media reports mentioned the death of a Palestinian on the West Bank of the Jordan River.
Tehran claims the missiles hit Israeli military targets. Israel described the damage as "minimal" and promised a retaliatory strike.
The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that U.S. President Joe Biden's administration's policy in the Middle East has failed, with the White House showing complete helplessness in resolving crises.