PARIS: France on Thursday strongly condemned Israel’s decision to declare United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “persona non grata”, saying the move was “unjustified.”
In a statement, the French Foreign Ministry expressed regret over the decision, which it deemed serious and counter-productive. “France regrets the unjustified, serious and counter-productive decision taken by Israel to declare the secretary general of the United Nations, Mr Antonio Guterres, persona non grata.”
The statement reaffirmed France’s “full support for and confidence” in Guterres, emphasizing the crucial role the United Nations plays in maintaining stability in the region. This response comes after Israel accused Guterres of failing to explicitly condemn Iran’s missile attack on the country, despite his condemnation of the barrage.
The declaration against Guterres drew immediate criticism not only from France but also from the United States and European Union officials.
EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell defended Guterres during a speech in Pontevedra, Spain, asserting that “attacks on the UN secretary-general” should not be tolerated. Borrell emphasized the complexity of the situation, stating that the violence in the region did not emerge in a vacuum and should not be oversimplified.
He acknowledged Israel’s right to defend itself but cautioned that this right has limits, suggesting that these boundaries may have been crossed amid escalating tensions.
