Israel declares UN chief Guterres 'persona non grata' over Iran missile attack

RFI

2 October 2024 at 11:15 am·1-min read

Israel's foreign minister has announced thatUN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has been banned from entering the country because he had not 'unequivocally' condemned Iran's recent missile attack on Israel.

On Wednesday, foreign minister Israel Katz that he was barring the United Nations secretary-general from entering Israel, accusing him of being biased against the country after Iran fired more than 180 ballistic missiles at the country.

Many were intercepted mid-air but some penetrated missile defences, but no casualties were reported.

In a brief statement in the wake of Tuesday's attack, Guterres issued a brief statement referencing only the "latest attacks in the Middle East" and condemning the conflict "with escalation after escalation".

'Persona non grata'

Earlier on Tuesday, Israel had sent troops into southern Lebanon, marking an escalation in hostilities between the Jewish state and Iran's proxy in Lebanon, Hezbollah.

Katz said Guterres' failure to call out Iran made him persona non grata in Israel.

"Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran's heinous attack on Israel – as nearly all the countries of the world have done – does not deserve to set foot on Israeli soil," Katz said.

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'Persona non grata'

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