The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the Iranian missile strikes on Israel, following his earlier designation as persona non grata by Israel for his response to the ongoing violence.
Speaking to the UN Security Council, Guterres emphasized the urgent need to end the “deadly cycle of tit-for-tat violence” in the Middle East.
In response to Guterres’ earlier call for a ceasefire, Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz labeled him an “anti-Israel secretary-general who lends support to terrorists.”
This condemnation arose after Guterres initially failed to mention the Iranian attacks specifically.
Addressing the council, Guterres reiterated his condemnation of the strikes, stating, “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.”
He added that these attacks “paradoxically do not seem to support the cause of the Palestinian people or reduce their suffering,” while also criticizing Israel’s military actions in Gaza as “the most deadly and destructive military campaign in my years as secretary-general.”
On Tuesday, Iran launched approximately 180 ballistic missiles at Israel, most of which were reportedly intercepted.
Following this escalation, Guterres condemned the widening conflict in a statement on social media, highlighting the ongoing cycle of violence.
Katz, responding to Guterres’ remarks, stated, “Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran’s heinous attack on Israel does not deserve to step foot on Israeli soil.”
He specifically criticized Guterres for what he described as “his anti-Israel policy since the beginning of the war.”
Tuesday’s missile strikes marked another escalation in a series of conflicts that began nearly a year ago with Hamas attacks on Israel.
This latest incident follows a major attack on southern Israel by Hamas gunmen on October 7, which resulted in around 1,200 fatalities and the abduction of 251 individuals.
The subsequent Israeli military campaign in Gaza has reportedly resulted in 41,689 deaths, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
The conflict has led to increased tensions between Israel and the UN regarding the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the role of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinian refugees.
In January, Israel accused several UNRWA staff members of involvement in the October 7 attacks, prompting an investigation by the agency, which later faced funding withdrawals before those funds were reinstated. In August, nine staff members were dismissed due to potential ties to the attacks.
Throughout this conflict, UNRWA has criticized Israeli airstrikes in Gaza that have resulted in casualties among its staff.
Source-BBC
