Israel’s foreign minister said Wednesday that United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is “persona non grata in Israel” and barred him from entering the country after the U.N. chief issued a brief statement condemning all escalatory military actions in the Middle East.
In a social media post, Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz accused Guterres of failing to “unequivocally condemn” the retaliatory attack that Iran launched against Israel on Tuesday. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said some of its air bases were damaged by Iranian missiles, but no civilian deaths were reported.
Israel is expected to launch a “significant retaliation” in the coming days as it continues to bombard Gaza and Lebanon, driving the region toward all-out war.
Guterres’ statement in the wake of the Iranian attack denounced the “broadening of the Middle East conflict” and called for a cease-fire agreement — something Israel’s government, led by far-right Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has repeatedly obstructed.
In his post Wednesday, Katz falsely claimed Guterres has “yet to denounce” the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel. In fact, Guterres issued a statement on October 7 condemning “in the strongest terms” the “attack by Hamas against Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip and central Israel.”
Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, said Katz’s move shows that “Israel relishes in being a pariah state.”
“How is this good for Israel’s long-term security?” Parsi asked. “Why is the United States, Israel’s closest friend, helping rather than stopping Israel from moving in this destructive direction?”
Palestinian physician and politician Mustafa Barghouti said following Katz’s announcement that “there is no limit to the arrogance and reckless behavior of the Israeli government.”
Barring Guterres from entering the country marks Israel’s latest attack on the U.N., whose workers and facilities in Gaza have been targeted repeatedly by Israeli forces over the past year.
A leaked report obtained in July by Drop Site estimated that the Israeli military had killed at least 366 U.N. staffers and family members in Gaza since October 7.
Help us Prepare for Trump’s Day One
Trump is busy getting ready for Day One of his presidency – but so is Truthout.
Trump has made it no secret that he is planning a demolition-style attack on both specific communities and democracy as a whole, beginning on his first day in office. With over 25 executive orders and directives queued up for January 20, he’s promised to “launch the largest deportation program in American history,” roll back anti-discrimination protections for transgender students, and implement a “drill, drill, drill” approach to ramp up oil and gas extraction.
Organizations like Truthout are also being threatened by legislation like HR 9495, the “nonprofit killer bill” that would allow the Treasury Secretary to declare any nonprofit a “terrorist-supporting organization” and strip its tax-exempt status without due process. Progressive media like Truthout that has courageously focused on reporting on Israel’s genocide in Gaza are in the bill’s crosshairs.
As journalists, we have a responsibility to look at hard realities and communicate them to you. We hope that you, like us, can use this information to prepare for what’s to come.
And if you feel uncertain about what to do in the face of a second Trump administration, we invite you to be an indispensable part of Truthout’s preparations.
In addition to covering the widespread onslaught of draconian policy, we’re shoring up our resources for what might come next for progressive media: bad-faith lawsuits from far-right ghouls, legislation that seeks to strip us of our ability to receive tax-deductible donations, and further throttling of our reach on social media platforms owned by Trump’s sycophants.
We’re preparing right now for Trump’s Day One: building a brave coalition of movement media; reaching out to the activists, academics, and thinkers we trust to shine a light on the inner workings of authoritarianism; and planning to use journalism as a tool to equip movements to protect the people, lands, and principles most vulnerable to Trump’s destruction.
We urgently need your help to prepare. As you know, our December fundraiser is our most important of the year and will determine the scale of work we’ll be able to do in 2025. We’ve set two goals: to raise $150,000 in one-time donations and to add 1,500 new monthly donors by midnight on December 31.
Today, we’re asking all of our readers to start a monthly donation or make a one-time donation – as a commitment to stand with us on day one of Trump’s presidency, and every day after that, as we produce journalism that combats authoritarianism, censorship, injustice, and misinformation. You’re an essential part of our future – please join the movement by making a tax-deductible donation today.
If you have the means to make a substantial gift, please dig deep during this critical time!
With gratitude and resolve,
Maya, Negin, Saima, and Ziggy