Israel declares UN Secretary General 'persona non grata'

Israel's foreign minister reported that his country on Wednesday declared United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "persona non grata." It has also prohibited him from entering the country.

The decision, the foreign minister explained, came about because Guterres does not unequivocally condemn the Iranian attack on Israeli territory.

"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," said in a statement Chancellor Israel Katz.

In this regard, Katz maintained that the secretary general has yet to denounce the massacre and sexual atrocities committed by Hamas murderers on October 7. In addition, he noted that Guterres has also not spearheaded any effort to declare Hamas a terrorist organization.

"A Secretary-General who gives backing to terrorists, rapists, and murderers from Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and now Iran—the mothership of global terror—will be remembered as a stain on the history of the UN" Katz stressed.

Israel's decision comes after Antonio Guterres wrote a pair of messages on his social network account in which he said he was concerned about the "escalation of the conflict" and called for a cease-fire, but without mentioning that Israel was attacked by Iran.

"I condemn the broadening of the Middle East conflict with escalation after escalation. This must stop. We absolutely need a ceasefire," Guterres assured.