Israel has barred UN Secretary-General António Guterres from entering the country, labeling him a "persona non grata" in response to his perceived failure to strongly condemn Iran's attack on

Israel. Foreign Minister Israel Katz made the announcement on social media, stating that Guterres’ actions marked "a stain on the history" of the United Nations.

Katz criticized Guterres for not denouncing the massacre and sexual violence committed by Hamas during the October 7 attack. Katz further accused the UN chief of supporting groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran, which he described as "the mothership of global terror."

In his statement, Katz asserted that Israel would defend its citizens and national dignity regardless of Guterres’ stance. The UN secretary-general had earlier angered Israeli officials by suggesting that Hamas' actions on October 7 occurred within a broader context of Palestinian suffering, though he did also unequivocally condemn the attacks as acts of terror.

Guterres' comments following the massacre highlighted the longstanding challenges faced by Palestinians under occupation, but he emphasized that these grievances could not justify Hamas' violent actions. Photo by U.S. Department of State from United States, Wikimedia commons.