Information
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has declared UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “persona non grata” and barred him from entering Israel. Katz’s decision stems from Guterres’ failure to specifically condemn a recent missile attack on Israel by Iran. Katz criticized Guterres for what he sees as a biased stance against Israel and accused the UN chief of supporting groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran, which he labelled as major contributors to global terrorism. Guterres had condemned the ongoing conflict in the Middle East but did not single out Iran, sparking Katz’s strong reaction.
This move further strains relations between Israel and the United Nations. Katz’s declaration amplifies long-standing tensions, with Israel often accusing the UN of bias in favour of its adversaries. By taking this step, Israel is sending a clear message of its dissatisfaction with Guterres’ stance on key regional issues, especially his perceived failure to align with international condemnation of Iran’s actions.
Source: BBC, DW, NYT
So what
Going off the number of UN resolutions against Israel vs other countries, it is easy to see why Israel holds a grudge against the UN. Though Israel has done things worth the UN’s attention, they receive significantly more scrutiny. Regardless, it is highly unlikely that Guterres has been planning on visiting Israel anytime soon, making this move wholly symbolic. It seems unlikely that the relationship between Israel and the UN is going to improve in the short to medium term, especially as this conflict appears to be worsening.
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