Israel reinforces ban on UN chief from entering country for comments on attack on Iran

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz on Sunday doubled down on his decision to declare UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres persona non grata over what he described as a failure to condemn Iran’s missile attack and anti-Semitic and anti-Israel conduct.

On October 2, Katz said he was blocking Guterres from entering Israel. He posted on X on Sunday that “Guterres may continue to seek support from UN member states, but the decision will not change.”

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric described the initial announcement on October 2 as political and “just another attack, so to speak, on the UN team that we have seen from the Israeli government.” He said the UN has traditionally not recognized the concept of persona non grata as applicable to UN staff.