The United Nations Security Council expressed its full support for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday after Israel labeled him “persona non grata” for not immediately condemning Iran’s missile attack.
Without directly naming Israel, the five permanent members of the council—Britain, China, France, Russia, and the United States—along with the ten non-permanent members, emphasized the necessity for all member states to maintain a productive and effective relationship with the secretary-general. They urged member states to refrain from actions that could undermine his work and that of his office.
The council stated, “Any decision not to engage with the UN secretary-general or the United Nations is counterproductive, especially amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.”
Israel made its declaration on Wednesday, criticizing Guterres for failing to specifically condemn Iran’s missile attack in his initial remarks, which focused on the broader conflict in the region. Although he later condemned the attack, relations between Israel and the UN have been strained, particularly following the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. France condemned Israel’s decision, labeling it “unjustified” and reaffirming its full support for Guterres.
The United States has also criticized Israel’s action, and EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell defended Guterres, stating that “attacks on the UN secretary-general” must be rejected. Borrell remarked that while Hamas’s attacks are condemnable, they did not occur in a vacuum, and he criticized the trivialization of accusations of antisemitism against those expressing differing opinions. He acknowledged Israel’s right to defend itself but cautioned that this right has limits, suggesting those limits may have been exceeded.
