Israel has announced that it will ban United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres from entering the country. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz declared Guterres “undesirable” on Wednesday, accusing the UN chief of failing to condemn Iran’s recent missile strikes on Israel.
Katz made the announcement in a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating that Guterres’ inability to “unequivocally condemn Iran’s criminal attack on Israel” disqualified him from setting foot on Israeli soil.
The missile attacks, according to Tehran, were in direct retaliation for the targeted killings of high-profile leaders of Hezbollah, Hamas, and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in recent Israeli airstrikes.
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In response to the escalating violence in the region, Guterres called for an immediate ceasefire, saying, “This must stop. We absolutely need a ceasefire.” However, Israeli officials viewed his remarks as insufficiently critical of Iran and its regional allies, prompting the diplomatic move.
Katz also accused Guterres of sympathizing with terrorist organizations, including Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis, stating, “Israel will continue to protect its citizens and maintain its status and national honour with or without Antonio Guterres.”
This is the latest in a string of diplomatic confrontations between Israel and the UN. Several UN officials have been barred from entering Israel in recent months, including Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur for Palestinian issues, and officials from the UN’s humanitarian office in the occupied Palestinian territories. Israel has also frequently criticized the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees.
While Katz has declared the ban, it is unclear whether he has the legal authority to enforce it, as such power typically lies with Israel’s interior minister.
