UN says Israel’s travel ban on secretary-general latest ‘attack’ on its staff
3 تشرين الأول 2024 07:28
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Israel’s travel ban on Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is a “political statement” and the latest attack on the world body by the Israeli government.
Dujarric said Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz’s designation of Guterres as “persona non grata” in Israel is “one more attack on the United Nations staff that we’ve seen from the government of Israel.”
Katz earlier accused the Secretary-General of being biased against Israel, and claimed that Guterres had never condemned Hamas for the October 7 attacks on southern Israel.
Dujarric rejected that claim, noting that Guterres has repeatedly condemned the Hamas attacks, while also stressing that the UN still works with Israel “at the operational level and other levels”.
Dujarric said Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz’s designation of Guterres as “persona non grata” in Israel is “one more attack on the United Nations staff that we’ve seen from the government of Israel.”
Katz earlier accused the Secretary-General of being biased against Israel, and claimed that Guterres had never condemned Hamas for the October 7 attacks on southern Israel.
Dujarric rejected that claim, noting that Guterres has repeatedly condemned the Hamas attacks, while also stressing that the UN still works with Israel “at the operational level and other levels”.