UN calls Israel’s ban on its top leader a political statement in long-running rift

Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations has called Israel’s ban on Secretary-General Antonio Guterres entering the country a political statement by its foreign minister and stressed that the world body’s contacts with Israel will continue “because they have to.” A U.N. spokesman told reporters Wednesday that Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz deeming the U.N. chief “persona non grata” is also “one more attack on the United Nations staff that we’ve seen from the government of Israel.” Israel’s accusations of U.N. bias and antisemitism date back decades, but the rift has intensified since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks in the country’s south launched the war in Gaza.