Foreign Minister Israel Katz announces that he has designated UN Secretary General António Guterres “persona non grata,” meaning the Portuguese diplomat cannot enter Israel.
The Foreign Ministry says the decision is a reaction to Guterres’s response after Iran’s missile attack last night, “in which he failed to mention Iran by name and did not unequivocally condemn its grave aggression.”
Israel Guterres’s policies throughout the war have “provided backing to terrorists, rapists and murderers from Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, and now to the mothership of global terror, Iran.”
In a statement, Katz says that “anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran’s heinous attack on Israel, as nearly all the countries of the world have done, does not deserve to set foot on Israeli soil.”
It was not immediately clear if Katz has the authority to bar Guterres from the country, and reports in Hebrew media cite authorities from the Population, Immigration and Border Authority as saying such authority would lie only with the interior minister.
Bridging the US-Israel divide
While the heart of The Times of Israel’s work takes place in Israel, so many of Jerusalem’s actions are influenced by those in Washington’s halls of power.
As ToI’s US bureau chief, I work to gain access to decision-makers in the United States government so our readers can understand the US-Israel relationship beyond the platitudes evident in public statements.
I'm proud of our ability to inform without sensationalizing, our dedication to be fast while ensuring accuracy, and our determination to present Israel's entire, complex story.
Your support through The Times of Israel Community helps us continue to keep readers around the world properly informed about the critical Israel-US relationship. Do you appreciate our news coverage? If so, please join the ToI Community today.
- Jacob Magid, The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
Yes, I'll join
Yes, I'll join
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You're a dedicated reader
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel eleven years ago - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Join Our Community
Join Our Community
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, October 2, 2024
