Over 100 UN member states have signed a letter supporting UN chief Antonio Guterres and condemning Israel’s decision to bar him from entering the country. The petition was initiated by Chile after Israel accused Guterres of not condemning Iran unequivocally. Guterres expressed concern over the conflict in Lebanon and later clarified his condemnation of Iran’s missile attacks on Israel.
The collective letter, signed by 104 UN nations and the African Union, expressed deep concern over the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ statement, stating that such actions undermine the UN’s ability to mediate conflicts and provide humanitarian support.
The signatories reaffirmed their full support for Guterres’s work in promoting peace and stability worldwide and called for meaningful dialogue to end hostilities in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz defended the decision to blacklist Guterres, citing his alleged antisemitic behavior.
Katz stated that the decision would not be reversed despite Guterres’s efforts to gather support within the UN. The support for Guterres’s commitment to peace and security remains strong among the signatories.