Israel declares UN chief persona non grata

JERUSALEM:

Israel's foreign minister said on Wednesday that he was barring UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres from entering the country because he had not "unequivocally" condemned Iran's missile attack on Israel.

Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz said Guterres' failure to call out Iran made him persona non grata in Israel. "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," Katz said.

"Israel will continue to defend its citizens and uphold its national dignity, with or without Antonio Guterres."

Asked about the move at a press briefing, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said: "Steps like these are not productive to (Israel) improving its standing in the world."

"The UN does incredibly important work in Gaza. It does incredibly important work in the region. And the UN, when it's acting at its best, can play an important role for security and stability," Miller added.