Israeli Foreign Minister, Israel Katz has announced a ban that prohibits Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), from entering the country.
This decision underscores ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran, reflecting the Israeli government’s discontent with the organization’s stance on a criminal attack launched on the country by Iran.
In an X post on Wednesday, Katz termed Guterres “undesirable”.
“I decided today to declare U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres an undesirable personality in Israel and to ban his entry into Israel,” Katz said.
Guterres failed to “unequivocally condemn Iran’s criminal attack on Israel” on Tuesday, Katz said, and as a result “does not deserve to set foot on Israel’s soil.”
Iran has stated that its missile attacks on Israel were a form of retaliation for the deaths of prominent figures, including Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah; Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas; and Abbas Nilforoushan, a senior commander within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Israeli airstrikes killed those three figures in recent times, tipping the region closer toward a multi-front crisis.
After Iran fired missiles at Israel, Gutteres condemned the broadening of the Middle East conflict with escalation after escalation.
“This must stop. We absolutely need a ceasefire,” the UN chief said.
Katz accused Guterres of giving “support to the terrorists, rapists and murderers of Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and now to the mother ship of global terrorism, Iran”.
“Israel will continue to protect its citizens and maintain its status and national honor with or without Antonio Guterres,” the foreign minister added.
Banning the UN chief from entering the country marks a major escalation in tensions between Israel and the global body.
Several UN officials were also banned from entering Israel in recent months, including Francesca Albanese, UN special rapporteur for Palestinians, and the UN humanitarian office chief in occupied Palestinian territory.
Israel has also attacked the credibility of the UN agency for Palestinian Refugees.
Itis not immediately clear if Katz has the authority to bar Guterres from the country. In most climes, such authority would lie only with the interior minister.