Israel bars UN Secretary General from country

Israel’s foreign minister, Israel Katz, on Wednesday, announced that Israel has barred United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres from entering the country for failing to ”unequivocally” condemn Iran’s missile attack on Israel.

It would be recalled that Iran fired ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday amid an escalation in fighting between Israel and its proxy in Lebanon, Hezbollah.

Guterres had on Tuesday issued a brief statement after the missile attack condemning “the broadening of the Middle East conflict, with escalation after escalation.”

Following Guterres’ assertion, Israeli foreign minister, Israel Katz said Guterres’ failure to call out Iran made him persona non grata in Israel.

“Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran’s heinous attack on Israel, as nearly all the countries of the world have done, does not deserve to set foot on Israeli soil.

“Israel will continue to defend its citizens and uphold its national dignity, with or without Antonio Guterres,” Katz said.

Asked to react to the development, U.S. State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller said: “Steps like these are not productive to (Israel) improving its standing in the world.”

“The U.N. does incredibly important work in Gaza. It does incredibly important work in the region. And the U.N., when it’s acting at its best, can play an important role for security and stability,” Miller added.

U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric described the announcement as political and “just one more attack, so to speak, on U.N. staff that we’ve seen from the government of Israel.”

He said the U.N. traditionally does not recognise the concept of persona non grata as applying to U.N. staff.Meanwhile, during a security council meeting on Wednesday, Guterres said: “As I did in relation to the Iranian attack in April – and as should have been obvious yesterday in the context of the condemnation I expressed – I again strongly condemn yesterday’s massive missile attack by Iran on Israel.”

World leaders called on Iran and Israel to step back from the brink after Tehran fired a barrage of rockets at its arch-rival.

Israeli forces and Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters on Wednesday engaged in fighting on the ground in southern Lebanon, after Iran launched its largest-ever attack on Israel Tuesday.

The Israeli military said eight soldiers were killed in combat on Wednesday, according to CNN.

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission on Wednesday advised Nigerians living in Lebanon to consider leaving the country as hostility between the warring countries escalated.

NiDCOM’s Spokesperson, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, in a statement, urged Nigerians to take advantage of the fact that commercial flights were still operating, allowing for a safe exit.

“Worried by the attacks on Hezbollah and other areas in Lebanon by the Israeli government, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission is hereby advising Nigerians resident in Lebanon to consider moving out of the country now that commercial flights are still in operation.

“Though information from the Nigerian community in Lebanon indicated that most Nigerians have relocated from the southern part and are now relatively safe, we hereby advise them to keep safe until the ceasefire is in place,” the statement read in part.

World leaders have condemned the escalating violence.

The Chinese authority called on the international community, especially major influential powers, “to truly play a constructive role and prevent the situation from further deteriorating,” according to a foreign ministry spokesman in a statement published online.

“This situation is developing by the most worrying scenario,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also said on Wednesday, adding, “We call all sides towards restraint and we condemn any acts that could lead to the death of the civilian population.”

 Hours earlier, Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova denounced what she said was the “complete failure” of United States President Joe Biden’s approach.

 “The White House’s incomprehensible statements demonstrate its complete helplessness in resolving crises,” she posted on Telegram.

Pope Francis also called for a day of prayer for peace on October 7, the anniversary of Hamas’ attack on Israel.

Biden ordered the US military to “aid Israel’s defence against Iranian attacks and shoot down missiles that are targeting Israel.”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the attack was “totally unacceptable”.

“Initial reports suggest that Israel, with the active support of the United States and other partners, effectively defeated this attack,” Blinken said.

The US and G7 members “unequivocally” condemn Iran’s missile attack on Israel, the White House also said on Wednesday, noting the body was also considering new sanctions.

AFP reports that Biden held a call with G7 members to discuss Iran’s “unacceptable” attack and to coordinate a response “including new sanctions,” the White House statement said.

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the “broadening conflict in the Middle East”.

With Israel’s conflict with Hezbollah broadening alongside its ongoing war with Palestinian Hamas militants in Gaza, Guterres slammed “escalation after escalation” in the region.

“This must stop. We absolutely need a ceasefire,” he said.

Meanwhile, Israel has vowed to retaliate in the wake of Iran’s attack.

“This attack will have consequences. We have plans, and we will operate at the place and time we decide,” said Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari.

On Wednesday, it declared Guterres “persona non grata,” banning the UN chief from entering the country for failing to condemn Iran’s missile attack on Israel.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez condemned the Iranian strikes and called for an end to the “spiral of violence” blighting the Middle East.

Foreign Minister Jose Albares said Madrid was issuing “a new call to all the actors, obviously including Israel, to show restraint and not escalation.”

French President Emmanuel Macron condemned Iran’s attacks against Israel “in the strongest possible terms”, adding that France had “mobilised” its military resources in the Middle East to counter Tehran.

Macron also demanded that “Hezbollah cease its terrorist actions against Israel and its population”, while asking Israel to “put an end to their military operations as soon as possible”.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned Iran’s attack “in the strongest terms”.

During a call with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, Starmer also “expressed the UK’s steadfast commitment to Israeli security and the protection of civilians.”

Japan’s new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said missile attacks by Iran on Israel were “unacceptable”.

“We will condemn this strongly. But at the same time, we would like to cooperate (with the United States) to defuse the situation and prevent it from escalating into a full-on war,” he said.

Iran fired about 200 ballistic missiles in Tuesday’s barrage, which it said was in response to the killings of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh.

Iran’s military chief warned of broader strikes if Israel responds.