Israel barred the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres from entering the country on Wednesday, escalating tensions already heightened by regional conflict. The announcement was made by Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter). Katz declared Guterres a persona non grata, a significant diplomatic rebuke, stating, “Today, I have declared UN Secretary-General [Antonio Guterres] persona non grata in Israel and banned him from entering the country.”
In his statement, Minister Katz criticized Guterres for what he perceives as a failure to unequivocally condemn the attacks initiated by Iran. Katz stated, “Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran’s heinous attack on Israel, as almost every country in the world has done, does not deserve to step foot on Israeli soil.” He further criticized Guterres for not denouncing acts of violence attributed to Hamas on October 7, as well as for not pushing for their designation as a terrorist organization, describing these omissions as “a stain on the history of the UN.”
This decision follows a concerning surge in hostilities where Iran launched over 200 projectiles targeting Israel. Such aggressive actions carry the risk of igniting a broader conflict in the Middle East, a region historically fraught with complex geopolitical tensions and frequent military confrontations.
During a Security Council meeting held in New York, Guterres addressed the recent escalation, asserting he “strongly condemned” the Iranian attack on Israel. He indicated that his stance should have been apparent from earlier statements, attempting to clarify any misunderstandings regarding his position saying “As I did in relation to the Iranian attack in April — and as should have been obvious yesterday in the context of the condemnation I expressed — I again strongly condemn yesterday’s massive missile attack by Iran on Israel.”
The declaration of a diplomat as persona non grata is a principle rooted in international law, particularly guided by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961. It is a formal declaration by a host country that a foreign diplomat is no longer welcome, usually resulting in the diplomat’s withdrawal by their home nation. This measure is often employed as a political tool to express discontent without resorting to severing diplomatic relations entirely.
The principle of persona non grata has been invoked in various historical contexts. For instance, during the Cold War, persona non grata declarations were common between the United States and the Soviet Union, reflecting the intense political and ideological divisions of the era. More recently, this year Ecuador declared the Ambassador of Mexico ‘persona non grata’ after controversial comments from Mexico president.
As tensions between Israel, Iran, Syria, Lebanon and other regional players continue to simmer, the actions taken by all parties will be closely scrutinized on the global stage, with the hope of averting further violence and fostering a return to diplomatic dialogue, and states urging escalation and hopes towards an enduring ceasefire in the region.
