Why in news?
Recently, Israel had banned United Nations Secretary- General (UNSG) António Guterres from entering the country. Israel accused him of “backing” Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iran.
What’s in today’s article?
- Why did Israel declare UNSG Persona Non Grata?
- Unprecedented Nature of Israel’s Ban of UNSG
- History to Israel-UN tensions
- Global Reactions to Israel’s Ban on UNSG
Why did Israel declare UNSG Persona Non Grata?
- Reason for Declaration
- Israeli Foreign Minister declared United Nations Secretary-General (UNSG) António Guterres as persona non grata (PNG), barring him from setting foot in Israel.
- This decision was taken due to the UNSG’s failure to "unequivocally condemn" Iran’s missile strikes on Israel.
- Accusation of Silence on Previous Hamas Attack
- Israel also criticized Guterres for not condemning a previous attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of about 1,200 Israelis and the taking of 250 hostages.
- UNSG's Previous Statements
- Contrary to Israel's claims, Mr. Guterres and UN bodies have condemned the Hamas attack multiple times.
- In April, the UNSG condemned the use of "sexual violence, torture, and kidnapping of civilians," labeling the atrocities by Hamas as unjustifiable.
- Guterres’ Response to Recent Escalations
- In the latest conflict escalation, including Israeli strikes on Lebanon and Iran’s launch of 200 missiles on Israeli bases, Guterres called for a ceasefire and condemned the broadening of the conflict but did not name Israel or Iran specifically.
- UNSG's Clarification
- Following Israel's declaration of the PNG status, Guterres issued a clarification strongly condemning the "massive missile attack by Iran on Israel."
- Despite this, Israel has not revoked the ban.
Unprecedented Nature of Israel’s Ban of UNSG
- Israel’s ban on UNSG António Guterres is unprecedented.
- Analysts say that the closest a similar action occurred was in 1950 when the USSR accused UNSG Trygve Lie of bias during the Korean crisis and threatened to veto his re-election.
- Later, the U.S. had banned former UNSG Kurt Waldheim in 1987 due to his complicity in Nazi war crimes during World War II.
- But this happened after his term as UNSG and during his presidency of Austria.
- Citing Article 100, paragraph 2 of the UN Charter, they emphasized the importance of the UNSG for both substantive and logistical reasons.
- This paragraph requires member states to respect the Secretary-General's independence.
History to Israel-UN tensions
- Israeli Criticism of the UN
- Israel’s ban on Mr. Guterres is part of its broader argument that the UN is controlled by an “anti-Israel” bloc of Arab and Islamic countries.
- It accuses affiliated organizations like the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) of being involved with Hamas.
- Israeli Prime Minister’s Accusations
- At the UN General Assembly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the UN, referring to it as an “anti-Semitic swamp.”
- His anger stemmed from resolutions calling for a ceasefire and criticizing Israel, which were supported by a large majority of countries.
- Previous Bans on UN Officials
- Israel has previously banned UN Special Rapporteurs and senior officials, accusing them of bias against Israel and favoring the Palestinian cause.
- Last year, Israel banned UN Under-Secretary General Martin Griffiths for remarks perceived as critical of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories.
Global Reactions to Israel’s Ban on UNSG
- The day after Israel's ban on UNSG, the UN Security Council (UNSC), with the agreement of all P-5 members, issued a statement calling the decision “counterproductive,” especially amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
- The U.S. State Department similarly criticized the move, stating that it was “not productive” for Israel’s global standing.
- India’s Ministry of External Affairs, while cautious not to criticize Israel too directly, dismissed the issue.
- India affirmed that Mr. Guterres remains the UNSG for India.
