Israel Declares UN Chief 'Persona Non Grata', Banning Him From Entering Country

Israel's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Israel Katz, announced via X, (formerly twitter) that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has been declared persona non grata in Israel and is banned from entering the country.

"Today, I have declared UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres persona non grata in Israel and banned him from entering the country. Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran's heinous attack on Israel, as almost every country in the world has done, does not deserve to step foot on Israeli soil," Katz stated.

The declaration comes in the wake of escalating tensions in the region, particularly following Iran's launch of approximately 200 ballistic missiles towards Israel on Tuesday evening. This attack, which began around 7:30 p.m. local time, occurred shortly after a warning from the United States about an imminent threat.

In response to the missile barrage, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to retaliate, while the Israel Defense Forces reported that many of the missiles were intercepted. Tragically, one person was reported killed in the West Bank as a result of the attacks.

Katz's statements also criticised Guterres for not denouncing the brutal actions of Hamas during the recent conflict, stating, "This is a Secretary-General who has yet to denounce the massacre and sexual atrocities committed by Hamas murderers on Oct. 7, nor has he led any efforts to declare them a terrorist organization." He further emphasised that Guterres' perceived support for groups like Hamas and Hezbollah would tarnish the history of the United Nations.

The backdrop of this diplomatic fallout includes the killing of Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, by Israeli forces on Sept. 27, an event that further heightened tensions between Israel and Iran.

World leaders have reacted strongly to the missile attacks, urging de-escalation and dialogue to avoid further conflict in the already volatile region.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)