UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres banned from entering Israel. Here's why

Israel's foreign minister accused Guterres of refusing to condemn Iran's attack on Israel and backing "terrorists, rapists and murderers" from Iran-backed groups like Hezbollah, Hamas and more. The move deepens an already wide rift between Israel and the United Nations.

Jerusalem: In a dramatic move, Israel's foreign minister on Wednesday said United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres would be banned from the country, accusing him of being biased against the country. Foreign Minister Israel Katz said he was declaring Guterres “persona non grata” and said he would be prevented from entering Israel.

"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. 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 organisation," he said.

Katz further accused the UN Secretary General of backing "terrorists, rapists, and murderers from Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and now Iran—the mothership of global terror" and added that Guterres will be remembered as a stain on the history of the UN. "Israel will continue to defend its citizens and uphold its national dignity, with or without António Guterres," he remarked.

Katz's remarks also came after Iran's largest-ever missile attack on Israel, just hours after Israel launched what it called a “limited” ground incursion into southern Lebanon against Hezbollah. There were no immediate reports of any injuries on the ground in Israel and the Israeli military said around 180 missiles were fired, most of which were intercepted. 

Israel-UN tensions

Israel's move deepens an already wide rift between Israel and the United Nations. Both sides have been at odds over Israel's extreme military offensive in Lebanon and Gaza, with Guterres repeatedly calling for an immediate ceasefire. Guterres on Tuesday condemned 'escalation after escalation' as the Middle East came closer to an all-out war and reiterated the need for a ceasefire.

"I condemn the broadening of the Middle East conflict, with escalation after escalation. This must stop. We absolutely need a ceasefire," he said in a statement. Israel has voiced strong criticism of the UN’s response, saying, "We condemn your inability to string together a tweet which holds Iran responsible for firing 181 ballistic missiles at 10 million Israeli civilians."

The UN has repeatedly criticised Israel's use of destructive violence in Gaza that has killed more than 41,000 people and has urged for a de-escalation and immediate cessation of hostilities. It has also passed several resolutions aimed at halting the nearly one-year-long war, most of which were vetoed by the US.

On the other hand, Israel has long felt it is treated unjustly by the UN and has previously reacted strongly to the decisions and speeches made by the organisation, which comprises of Muslim-majority states and many countries of the Global South that criticise Israel and raise the Palestinian issue.