Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz (@IsraelKatz2) has declared UN Secretary-General António Guterres (@antonioguterres) “persona non grata,” effectively barring the Portuguese diplomat from entering Israel. This decision follows Guterres’s response to Iran’s missile attack on Israel on the night of October 1, 2024, where he failed to directly name Iran or strongly condemn the attack.
Katz stated, “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.”
However, it remains unclear whether Katz has the legal authority to enforce such a ban. Hebrew media outlets report that officials from the Population, Immigration, and Border Authority suggest that only the Interior Ministry holds the power to bar entry into the country.
