Why is Israel banning the UN chief?

• Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, announced the ban on UN Secretary-General António Guterres on October 2.
• Katz claimed Guterres had not condemned Iran’s missile strikes on Israel earlier in the week, thus the UNSG does not “deserve to set foot on Israeli soil.”
• Guterres had previously condemned the terror attack by Hamas on October 7, which left about 1,200 Israelis dead and 250 taken hostage.
• The ban is part of a larger Israeli argument against the UN, which it claims is run by the “anti-Israel” bloc of Arab and Islamic countries and affiliated organizations like UNRWA.
• Israel has previously banned UN Special Rapporteurs and other senior officials, accusing them of “bias” against Israel and in favor of the Palestinian side.
• Former Indian Permanent Representative to the UN, Asoke Mukerji, criticized the ban on the UNSG as “unprecedented” and cited the UN charter, which states that each Member of the United Nations undertakes to respect the exclusively international character of the responsibilities of the Secretary-General and the staff.
• The UN Security Council stated that any decision not to engage with the UN Secretary-General or the United Nations is counterproductive, especially in the context of escalating tensions in the Middle East.